This I Promise You
by Acacia Jules
Summary: Summer of her jr year, something happens to Cordelia in Paris and she must spend the rest of her vacation training for life as Immortal. Back in Sunnydale her life is altered again. Can Cordy hide her secret from Angel and the Scoobies AU S2 Highlander AC
1. Paris REWRITTEN

**Title:** This I Promise You  
**Name:** Jules  
**Rating: **PG-15 maybe sometimes higher  
**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB. The rest belong to whoever owns the Highlander series. Any other characters, I created, like Jonathan Damians. And Detectives Donner and Attkins.  
**Classification: **(romance, friendship, little-angst, crossover)  
**Summary:** During the summer of her junior year _(of HS_), something happens to Cordelia while in Paris and she must spend the rest of her vacation training for her life as an Immortal. Once back in Sunnydale her life is altered again. Can Cordy hide her secret from Angel and the Scoobies? Cordy comes back a totally new woman, with a new out look on life, and some new friends who are going to really shake up Sunnydale, Methos, Duncan, and Richie. (_AU Season 2) (Highlander Crossover) (Ang/Cord)  
_**Status: **Completed.

_(Please excuse all errors in anything! I only got the WB this year, so needless to say, my only information comes from episode guides, which don't go into much detail. I'm assuming Cordy knows about all the icky demon things, and that she knows Angel's a souled vamp! _

_Author's note 2005: Ok, this fic is going through a rewrite! I first wrote this fic when I was like, 15, way back in oh, I think it was 1999-2000! I'm 20 now, so needless to say, my writing style has changed a GREAT deal, not to mention gotten much better. On top of which, I've gotten BtVS Seasons 1-5 on DVD since then, so I don't have the problem I did back then, which having not seen season's 1-4. LOL, infact, I'm actually the one usually getting on other authors butts these days about errors in their timelines (I'm a huge stickler about things like that now.) _

_Anyway, I figured everyone would appreciate my fixing up this fics booboos, while I was in the midst of doing the rewrite of it too (see, I'm kind of currently writing an AU version of it for those of you who are HUGE Angel/Buffy fans, and I'll be Pairing Cordy with another Immortal from the show . . . . either Methos or Connor (who died at like 17, reply with votes on who you want me to pair her with in the AU, cause I just can't decide) Sooo, on with the show! _

_Also, those of you who are Highlander fanatics, and know how the timelines would match up, um, well ok, the Archangel thing, as you can guess, DID NOT HAPPEN. Yeah, Duncan defeated that demon thing, but that last scene . . . you know where he killed (sniff) it didn't happen, it just didn't. You know who didn't die.)_

**THIS I PROMISE YOU  
**_By Jules _

_**Prologue  
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_Ok, here's the deal, it's the end of the 1st season, which should make the gang like 16-17. I've decided to alter the story line for my purposes, (if you don't like it, bite me . . . wait, with the subject matter we're dealing with, maybe 'bite me' isn't what I want to say . . . ) _

_ANYWAY lets see, um, _

_**Cordelia (17 going on 18)** – Rich, popular, beautiful, May Queen of Sunnydale High. She's fallen for the handsome souled vamp, from the moment she saw his broody bod she was done for. Contrary to popular belief, the cheerleader isn't completely self-centered and she's not a total bitch. It's just a mask she hides behind, because she doesn't trust anyone, no one has ever given her reason to, nor proven that people could be trusted. A sometimes member of the Scooby Gang. She's also Immortal. Friends with Duncan, Richie, and really good friends with Methos. (I'm pretty sure that's her age, because in Season 1 of Angel she's 19… _

_**Angel (240-something) **- Has that thing for Buffy, but he's also kind of got his eye on Cordelia. He's pretty sure he loves Buffy, but every time he sees Cordy, his heart tightens in his chest (I didn't say thumped, or skipped a beat, I said tightened, that possible isn't it?) Anyway, he doesn't know what he wants. He's torn between the two girls. _

_**Duncan MacLeod (Like 400 years old )** – He is Immortal. Born in the Highlands of Scotland 400 years ago (at age 29-30). He is not alone. There are others like him, some good, some evil. For centuries he has battled the forces of darkness, with Holy Ground his only refuge. He cannot die, unless you take his head, and with it his power. In the end there can be only one. He is Duncan MacLeod, the Highlander. (If you wanna hear the opening, type in (without the spaces): yauger. / highlander/multimedia/season2-3. wave ) _

_**Richard 'Richie Ryan' Redstone (About 23 years old)** –A wisecracking street kid, who made thefts to get by, until Duncan MacLeod caught him breaking into his antique shop, but kept him around when he recognized his pre-immortal status. Trained by Duncan after his first death at age 19, goes by the alias Richard Redstone after a very public fiery motorcycle death on the pro-circuit in Paris. Knows French (kind of) due to frequent trips after moving in with Duncan and Tessa (who died three episodes in Season II of Highlander, same Episode that Richie became an Immortal.) Is not very experienced in The Game due to his relatively recent entry. _

_**Adam 'Methos' Pierson** – A legendary 5000 year old Immortal, the oldest current living Immortal. Methos was a member of the feared Four Horsemen who raped, murdered, and pillaged across three continents three thousand years ago. Since then he has tried to make up for his past sins by helping Immortals he sees promise in (such as Duncan MacLeod). (Will be known as Adam for awhile). Connects with Cordelia right off the bat, unlike Duncan, sees himself in her, beyond the layers. _

_**Buffy (16 going on 17) (not a MAJOR character, but she's fairly big)** – Smitten with the souled vampire. Pretty sure she's falling in love with him. The only hindrance in their relationship is that whole, he's a vampire, she's the Slayer thing. Discovered she was a slayer back in LA, forced to move to Sunnydale after she burned down the Gym (in her defense it WAS full of vampires . . . though, it must have been a different breed . . . .) _

_**Alexander 'Xander' Harris (around 17)** - Entire world was turned up side down his sophomore year when he overheard the school librarian and hot new girl, Buffy, talking in the library about vampires. Soon, his best friend since kindergarten, Jesse, had been turned and Xander was forced to confront the truth of the 'myths' of vampires and stake his best friend. A dedicated fighter of the undead, or at least tries to be, the comic relief of the group. _

_**Willow Rosenberg (16) **- An aspiring Wiccan, best friends with Xander Harris (and totally crushing on him, but slowly getting over it.) Extremely smart (therefore a resident geek at Sunnydale High) Willow is a bit of an outcast. Hanging mostly with her true friends of Xander and Buffy, she's only just becoming more confident with herself with Buffy's help. _

_Then there's the rest of the gang, Giles, Jenny, Joyce, maybe Spike, and others as we go along! Also some more characters from Highlander don't know whom else yet though. _

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_

**This I Promise You  
**_By Jules_

**_  
Chapter 1  
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**  
Paris Café  
****Twilight **

Cordelia Chase had only been in Paris for a week, but she was having the time of her life. It was a great way to spend the summer vacation before her junior year. Getting away from Sunnyhell, the Hellmouth, especially after that whole thing with the Master . . . .

It was hard to believe that only a year ago, she thought all the things she'd seen lately were just myths and legends to scare little kids, but they were there. Along with lots of other creepy crawly, things that went bump in the night.

Before Cordelia knew it her mind drifted to the shadowy man that occupied her every thought. Cordelia didn't know how, or why, but the moment her eyes had laid on the dark, handsome, muscular, brooding man (with great hair she might add), she'd fallen for him. Somehow, she just _knew_, he was the one for her. Perhaps it was the way her heart beat was more erratic when he was near or the how her thinking seemed get all muddled up when he entered the room, Cordelia just prayed he didn't notice how flustered she'd gotten around him. But he had eyes only for Buffy, the Slayer as it had turned out. Which she totally didn't get; why would such a hunk want to be with a Vampire Slayer?

Cordelia shook her head in melancholy, it really sucked the way life turned out sometimes. She had to snap out of it her slump though, she couldn't have him and she wouldn't try to steal him either, if he was destined for Buffy, she wouldn't stand in their way. Cordelia Chase wouldn't make a fool of herself trying to make him fall for her. So she was going to force herself to completely get over him while she was here.

She looked at her watch then quickly stood up; she'd been invited to a party by the teenagers of some old friends of her parents. She'd lost track of time and now she only had two hours to get back to her hotel and get ready. That included taking a shower and doing her hair; she was going to have to hurry.

The hour had grown late, and the streets were now sparse with people as she walked to her hotel. The teen shivered a bit, fashionable white Capri's, a tight sky-blue t-shirt with a low neckline, and white platform sandals. The outfit had been perfect for the summer heat earlier in the day, but dusk had brought with it cooler air and she was feeling chilled, not to mention a little frightened of the her surroundings. Having only been in Paris a week, she wasn't too knowledgeable about the area quite yet, but she'd just wanted some time to herself that day to think . . . she was beginning to regret that decision, now that night was beginning to fall, and she was having to find her way back to the hotel alone.

As Cordelia walked along the street, a shiver ran down her spine and her senses all went on high alert. She felt as if someone was watching her, and just moments later, she heard footsteps behind her. Wanting to check and see if she was right, Cordelia stopped, so did the noise.

All was quiet at the moment, except for the distant sounds of music and lapping water drifting from the canal . . . .

Nevertheless, growing up in Sunnydale had made Cordelia Chase a very wary young woman, especially once the sun had set in the sky. So with instincts ingrained after a lifetime on the Hellmouth, she began to walk faster. Just a few moments later, she was absolutely positive she heard footsteps behind her and the ominous steps shortly sped up, growing closer to the teen.

Cordelia began running as fast as she could, but the shoes that she wore prevented her from achieving her maximum speed. Scared, and not familiar with the area, she made a wrong turn and found herself trapped in an alley. No way out on one end, and the form of her pursuer, who was holding a gun, now occupied where she came in.

The man demanded something in French -

_'God, why didn't I pay more attention in French class? Um, I only understood hands, up, give, and purse . . . . Oh Gods, he's mugging me! My first week here and I'm being mugged! Why does this kind of stuff always happen to me? Do I have the word, VICTIM tattooed on my head or something!'_

Cordelia's mind, in absolute turmoil, gave into her fear, and she did what came naturally . . . she screamed at the top of her lungs in terror, because while she'd actually seen scarier things, and been in much worse situations, Buffy or Angel or _somebody_ had always been there to save her before. And in Sunnydale, bad stuff happening was to be expected, but not in Paris, _not_ during her vacation from the bad and scary. So yes, she screamed . . . in later years she would realize just how out of character it was and how **_stupid_** a reaction it had been . . . . . .

**_  
xXx_**

**  
Near the Canal **

Duncan MacLeod, had just finished picking up some groceries, and was walking back to his barge when he heard a woman scream, her voice full of fear. A split second after that, a **BANG!** reverberated through the night, a very familiar noise, which that sounded _exactly_ like a gunshot.

Dropping his groceries, MacLeod of course did what he _always_ did when he heard signs of someone in trouble, ran right in the direction of the upheaval. The Scot just hoped he was able to find whoever was in trouble, and prayed he got there in time to help.

**_  
xXx_**

**  
The Alley **

**  
_'BANG!'_**

Cordelia felt something rip through her upper abdomen, through the lower part of her chest. And pain, lots of pain.

"Sacre bleu!" Cried the French thief, just as shocked about the gun going off as the girl was about being shot, and he ran off in a panic, forgetting to grab the rich girl's purse.

Cordelia's hand fluttered down to her stomach, she looked down, shocked to see blood on her fingers. She felt her knees grow weak, and Cordelia sunk to the ground. The pain was making spots dance in her eyes, and she could taste the coppery tang of blood in her mouth, as her lung filled with the thick liquid, which would end her life. Her last thoughts were of disbelief at the irony, that after having grown up on the **_Hellmouth_**, and having managed to survive for so long around vampires and other all the demons that ran around the town, that it was a simple mugging that was going to kill her. This wasn't fair . . . . Her last regrets caused a single tear to run down her cheek. The realization that she'd never had real friends, ones like Buffy, Xander, and Willow were. That no one would ever love her, or care about her. That she'd never even get the _chance_ to tell Angel how she felt . . . .

Cordelia Chase was only 17, less than year away from 18, when she felt her heart stop, and she closed her eyes, all the life forces in her body stopped.

**_xXx  
_**

As Duncan reached the area where the scream and subsequent gunshot had originated, his Immortal detection warning went off, giving him a sensation of the Buzz, which felt like something was constantly coming at him and told him another Immortal was near. The sensation was felt for several moments, and happened whenever an Immortal came into sensing range. _(Until an Immortal learned to deal with the Buzz, it could be almost painful, and overwhelming. Powerful immortals, very in-tuned with their natures and taught how, also had the ability to sense pre-immortal, who had not yet been killed for the first time, therefore vulnerable.)  
_The Buzz he was sensing however was a bit different though, it was much more faint, Duncan almost had to strain to detect it . . . it was then he recognized the sensation as the Buzz of a Pre-Immortal, like that of his former student Richie Ryan's, before he'd experienced his first death that awful night in Seacouver, four years ago. That night Duncan's beloved Tessa had been shot as well, but she hadn't had the gift, or curse of immortality to bring her back to life when the dust had settled . . . .

As Duncan neared the area where the sensation was originating, it suddenly stopped. He _knew_ what that meant and his heart dropped like it was suddenly made of lead. It meant the pre-immie had been killed. Duncan had been too late to save whoever had been shot, however that didn't mean that he was too late altogether . . . there was still _something_ he could do.

Duncan looked around, searching for what could have set off his Immortal senses, seeing nothing. Then his gaze finally lit upon on the dark alley, and landed upon a fallen girl lying in a pool of blood. Could it have been that young teenage girl who set him off? He prayed that it wasn't her. For her to have died so young, to be brought into the Game at such an age and so late . . . .

His years of combat experience took over though, and he managed to walk over to the grizzly scene. Duncan knelt down next to the girl and checked for a pulse, closing his eyes in sorrow when he found none. Sighing, he knew now he'd found the source of his earlier Buzz. Duncan was immediately able to identify the cause of death, a very bloody bullet wound, right below her left breast. He could see through the hole in the t-shirt that the wound had already stopped bleeding though. Duncan knew he couldn't very well leave her there either, not unless he wanted her found by people in her state. If that were to happen, she would have to give up everything she knew; family, friends, her whole life, because she would be dead to them.

He slipped off his coat and wrapped her in it, hiding the bloodstains on her clothes from anyone he might pass on the streets. Looking around, finding the streets unsurprisingly empty, he picked her up her, and then hurried to the barge. It was Paris and to see a man carrying a passed out par amour was a quite common occurrence. So as long as no one looked too close and saw any of the blood on the two of them, Duncan knew he would be fine.

By the time he laid her on the bed, the wound that went from the front all the way through the back of her chest, was also already quickly closing, and beginning to heal. Duncan left the coat wrapped around her and put her purse, which had still been clutched tightly in her hand, on the dresser. He then he picked up a book and started reading. It would be a while before she awoke, and when she did, he knew from experience it was going to take forever to explain things to her. The shock from waking up from the dead was a bit overwhelming, and could sometimes take awhile to sink in, not to mention the complications of explaining the rules of the game . . . . He just hoped Richie didn't show up while he was trying to explain it and try to hit on the girl.

**  
Late that night  
**

Cordelia woke up swiftly, gasping for breath, her lungs refilling with air and she sat up abruptly, eyes darting about the room wildly trying to determine her location, and what the hell had happened.

"Good, you're back." Duncan declared in his slightly Scottish accent, setting his book down and standing up. He could tell the young woman was terrified, and he wished to soothe her frightened state as quickly as possible.

Cordelia gazed at the handsome thirtyish man who had just stood from a chair, only 20 feet away. He was very handsome actually, about 6'3", long black hair that was tied back in a pony tail that went to his shoulder blades, dark brown eyes, broad muscular shoulders, a diamond earring in one ear, dressed in black slacks and a white button up shirt . . . . Yes, avery pleasing picture over all, but at the moment Cordelia Chase wasn't _that_ interested in the looks of her host, for once. Frankly, she was just trying to take in her surroundings, and the fact that the man was a stranger, meant she wasn't going to take her eyes off him. Being a stranger, meant he could be dangerous, she'd learned to be wary of the mysterious, and that meant keeping her all her senses on them.

"Where am I?" She demanded, scared out of her mind. Cordelia knew this wasn't right, and she wasn't just talking about the strange man close by.

"My home, on the river."

She looked down at her blood soaked shirt, fingering where the bullet had gone through, and then felt how there was no wound below it on her skin. It looked, from the holes in the shirt as if it had gone through her left lung, but there wasn't even a scar, not a single mar on her body.

"I was dead." She murmured softly, "I remember dying . . . I felt my body getting colder and I could taste blood . . . ." Her mind raced, and she came to her only logical conclusion, "Damn it all, you turned me into a vampire-thingy didn't you!" She accused glaring at him.Well, the only _logical_ conclusion one comes up with when one is from Sunnydale.

Duncan stared at her in shock, "What? No! There's no such thing as vampires. Trust me, I've been around for over 400 years, there are no vampires. The only thing that I've ever seen that ever even came close, was an Immortal named Nicholas Ward, who ran around Paris in 1840 _pretending_ to be a vampire, murdering certain people so he could get control of a business. I discovered what he was doing and stopped his killing spree." (Season II, Ep 16 – The Vampire, if your interested)

Cordelia raised an eyebrow at him smirking, "Yeah, well I live in Sunnydale, California. On a Hellmouth. You know a gateway to hell? Trust me, I've seem more vampires in the last year, then my fair share. God, I even know the Slayer. She who's chosen to kill what goes bump in the night! God, my _boyfriend_ was killed by vamps, then we killed a _Master_ vampire before prom while the Hellmouth was like, opening . . ." She trailed off, then started up again, "Over 400 huh? Wow, that's old . . . . and we thought Giles was old and he's like, 40 . . . ."

Duncan gazed at her, dumbfounded. Here he had been, thinking that he was going to have to convince her that it was possible for Immortal's to exist and there she was telling him that things he'd thought were legends, were real.

"So, if you didn't turn me into a vamp, how am I alive?" She demanded, getting up.

This was Duncan's cue, he'd had to do this many times before, but it never grew easier, "You are an Immortal. One of a select few chosen to live forever . . ." He launched into the long saga of their existence.

To summarize, some people are chosen to live forever, no 'dying' per say, never aging. The theory was that they were all foundlings, having no parents, so nobody was really sure where they come from. They can be killed in the conventional way, but they are reanimated a while later. The only way for them to DIE, die, is by beheading. And if the victor of this fight is an Immortal, he/she gains the power, memories, and strength of the defeated, in this occurrence is called the quickening, which involves lots of lightning, and explosions. _(Really cool to watch!)_ "… I must say though, you are really lucky that no one else came upon you after you, um, died the first time. Most Immortals are forced to abandon their old lives and assume completely new identities, giving up everything they new before after their first death."

"Yeeeaaahhh right . . . ." Cordelia agreed distractedly, having absorbed it all in stride, "So back to this aging thing, so what you're saying is, I'll never get all wrinkly, flabby, and all that other icky stuff involved in aging."

Duncan had to smile at the girl, it was obvious that she was very young, extremely blunt, but that it took a lot to faze her, so he just went on, not sure how she was going to take the next part, "Cordelia, you're never going to change again. You are going to stay this age for the rest of your life."

"So?" Cordelia looked at him incredulously, "No wrinkles _still_ means, no wrinkles. You will not see me complaining. And no scarring, right? Just so we're clear on that, I had a really bad experience at the end of last year, really close call involving my face and someone with a scalpel."

Duncan's jaw practically dropped at that bit of information, "A scalpel?"

"Yeah . . . just a little incident with some girl jealous about how popular I am, and how pretty I am. So she decided slashing my face would be the answer…but you said that's not going to ever be a problem again, right? Right? No scaring?"

"Rrright. Yeah, Immortals have advanced healing. It takes longer, depending upon how old you are, and how many quickenings you've taken. Or at least that's the theory, but every injury you get from now on will completely heal."

"Great! I just have one question then." She told him, staring at him seriously.

"Yes?" he asked, a bit taken aback by this new Immortal.

"Who the _Hell_ are you?" She demanded, adopting her Queen C persona, raising an eyebrow at him.

Duncan shook him self a bit, realizing he'd forgotten to introduce himself. Flashing her his charming smile, he bowed and kissed her hand, "Duncan MacLeod, of the clan MacLeod, and you are?"

"Cordelia Chase, only daughter of the second richest man in Sunnydale. Oh, by the way, I'm only 17. Just so you know, if the police come. Because what this is looking like is soooo not legal."

Duncan was once more taken aback by what he was discovering. She'd looked older . . . something for which she would be thankful for in later years, because from this point on, she would never age again.

But she still looked _so_ young to him. It just wasn't fair for her to have died for the first time at such a young age. She'd have to be thought of as a teenager for the rest of her life . . . .

"So, what happens now?" Cordelia probed eagerly, pulling Duncan out of his musing.

"Well, I'm going to train you: in martial arts, sword fighting, and many of other things you will need to know. It will take awhile."

Cordelia sighed, "Well I can only stay until I need to start school again. And I'll have to call my parents and tell them that I'll be at a friend's most of the time now, for them to not try and call my hotel anymore, and that I'll see them in September. Don't even _think_ about trying to make me stay longer. I'm already kissing my summer vacation goodbye, if you think I'm gonna ditch my friends next year you can, like, soooo forget about it." She informed him seriously.

Duncan could tell this was going to be a long three months and just hoped he would be able to train her to protect herself in that small amount of time, "Alright, maybe we should go get your clothes and things. We'll have more time to train if you stay here on the barge with me."

"Right, um, can I borrow something to wear though? I don't think that me walking into the lobby wearing a majorly bloodstained shirt will not cause the security staff to get alarmed."

Duncan raised his eyebrow; this girl wasn't as dumb as she acted.

**Two days later  
**

Cordelia was ready to kill Duncan, barely lifting her head from the pillow "You have got to be kidding me, it's six am, it's my summer vacation, and you're making me get up?"

"Come on Cordelia, rise and shine." Duncan ordered, fully awake.

"MacLeod, you are cruel. Truly cruel." She grumbled, stumbling out of bed and into the shower.

**45 minutes later **

Cordelia re-emerged, her long, damp hair brushed and in a ponytail. She was wearing black wind-pants, which she had rolled down to her hips showing off her slim toned stomach and a white Nike sports-bra top. She was awake, but still cranky.

Duncan handed her a cup of coffee and half a grapefruit.

They quickly ate, and then were off to train.

**Ten am **

Cordelia did have some training, due to cheerleading, and because it was a dangerous world out there her father had insisted on her taking kickboxing. At the moment with her new teacher and mentor she was working on the mental and physical parts of martial arts.

But the focusing part of the training wasn't exactly Cordelia's area of expertise; she was actually having a bit of trouble with it. In fact, at the moment, Cordelia was bored out of her mind as she hit the practice dummy. She was hot, sweaty, and she knew, she just _knew_, her breaking a nail was inevitable.

"No." Duncan stopped her, "Here." He advised her, pointing to a spot a few centimeters above on the dummy's side, where she had been kicking, "I know, it looks the same, at least to the untrained eye it does. But I promise, you'll cause a hell of a lot more pain if you kick here."

Cordelia kicked the stupid, stupid thing where Duncan had told her to, then punched it in the face a few times,just for pleasure, "There, happy? I can't take this anymore! I, am going to do my cheer routines until lunch." Cordelia declared, leaving no room for argument.

Duncan could tell she was going to stand firm on this, and relented, "Fine."

The frustration on Cordelia's face melted away into delight and she shot him one of her dazzling smiles. She slipped in one of her CD's, and then started working on the cheerleading routines she'd been planning out, which always calmed her down and worked out any sort of annoyances that had been building up inside.

Duncan stood off to the side, scrutinizing his latest charge. He knew already that she was very obstinate, which could get her killed, but it might also be a valuable aspect, however it was still too soon to determine.

He had to wince after he observing her doing five handsprings into an American spit, which looked seriously painful to him, but Cordelia just rotated her torso so her legs were now on either side of her. She put her hands down in front of her, and lifted herself off the floor, shaking a bit, then slowly letting her self down. Cordelia hopped up and did a few back bends, slowly flipping over. Her agility would give her an advantage as well he noted. Speed and agility were what his long time friend and lover Amanda used to win her Immortal battles, and it had worked for her for over 1000 years.

Duncan knew what he really needed to work on though, was her sword handling, and controlling her anger. If he could just have her get a handle on that, he would feel so much better about when he had to send her back home to California.

Several Days later

Cordelia glowered at the man above her, shiny sword at her neck. Yes, he'd knocked her down once more and once again, his shinny sword was at her neck, and he still wouldn't let her use a real sword. She decided to take this moment to bring up her protest yet again.

"I still don't see why I can't use a real sword Duncan." Cordelia whined as Duncan pulled her up, "Why do I have to use a wooden one?"

Duncan, having heard this argument many times over the past week, just put it to her simply, "Because, until you can control this one, I'm not trusting you with anything that sharp. I let you start with a katana, remember? Must I remind you of what happened?"

"I replaced everything! I just lost my grip!" Cordelia protested loudly, stamping her foot, glowering at him.

"Oooh, what'd she break Mac? Something from your past, or just something really expensive?" A new voice called out from dry land, interrupting.

The Buzz hit them all, and Duncan's stern countenance broke out in a grin.

"Richie! I haven't seen you for a few months, where'd you get off to?" Duncan queried, leaving his new charge and striding over to greet his friend and student, who jogged onto the boat.

"Oh, you know, here and there . . ." Richie finally got a good look at the girl behind Duncan, who was not paying any attention to the proceedings what-so-ever, and his eyes just about dropped out of his head. He had never seen a more attractive female in his life, the curves on her body had to be illegal, "Oh my God, Mac, this just isn't fair, how do you always manage to snap up most beautiful ones."

"What?" Duncan was confused for a second, then he looked behind him and realized what Richie was talking about, "Oh, no, Richie, you have the wrong idea completely, but even though I'm not involved with her, you cannot be either."

Richie was hurt, "Why not Mac? Aren't I good enough for her?"

"Well, honestly, probably not, but, more importantly my friend, she's 17." Duncan told him, clamping a hand down on his young friend's shoulder, "And even if she wasn't, her father's really, really rich. Have you ever heard of the Chase family?"

"Wait, let me think, yeah, when we were in Seattle. And especially while up and down the West Coast."

"She's Cordelia Chase, one of the two remaining heirs and while obviously, she's not blood related, she still stands to inherit most of it. High class all the way tough guy."

Richie still looked beyond Duncan at the young heiress, "I suppose, but I can gaze in adoration . . . oh Lord, can I."

Duncan shook his head in amusement, "You are terrible."

"I don't care, just introduce me already Mac!"

"Alright, alright."

Cordelia used Duncan's distraction as an opportunity to check on her occult supplies. While she didn't expect anything to happen while she was on vacation, there was no way she was ever getting attacked yet again without being prepared.

She had packed some stakes in her suitcase, as well as crosses, a holy water squirt gun, plus some extra holy water. Now she was putting a couple stakes, a cross, and her squirt gun in her purse. In Sunnydale it was just absurd to even think going outside after dark without the things in her purse unless she had a death wish, and Cordelia had no idea what lurked in the shadows of Paris . . . .

She was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn't hear Duncan and Richie coming up behind her, though in their defense, they weren't speaking.

Richie reached out and tapped her on the shoulder, to get her attention.

Cordelia's mind was on vampires, so of course, she immediately thought, vampire. Her body went into auto-pilot with the stake in her right hand. She grabbed the hand that had touched her with her left, sweeping whoever-was-behind-her's feet out from under them, and stopped from staking the guy, just an inch away from his chest.

Duncan watched the scene in astonishment, very glad that his friend was an Immortal, and on some morally wrong level, proud that Cordelia had obviously learned something from him in her training.

On Richie's part, everything went in slow motion, and then moved very quickly, because all of a sudden, he was on the floor. His mind and heart was racing. Richie didn't know if he should be terrified of the fact that he had just been attacked, and that there was something very sharp and pointy pressed to his chest, or pleased that there was a beautiful girl lying on top of him.

Cordelia on the other hand, was thinking nothing of the person underneath her. She just starred at the stake in her hand in shock for a moment and then she hopped up grinning. "Wow Duncan, I never thought about how what I was learning could be applied if I went out slaying. But I was standing here, packing some stakes in my purse, thinking about the vamps at home and your buddy here surprised me. I totally went into autopilot, next thing I know, the stakes at his heart. Good thing I realized he was breathing before I staked him or he would have been a goner...for a little while at least, but it would have hurt like bitch."

"Vampires, are real?" Richie croaked out from the floor, processing the flood of information that came from the girl's mouth.

"Oh yeah. Is everyone like, oblivious to this fact? I mean, they totally roam the nights." Cordelia shook her head in wonder, completely disregarding very significant fact that she, _herself_ hadn't even know about vampires until last year, and she probably wouldn't have even bothered to acknowledge their existence if her boyfriend hadn't gotten murdered, even though she'd been _involved_ in multiple vampire attacks _prior_ to that time.

"Well, most people don't live on the Hellmouth." Duncan rationalized, having finally accepted the fact that vampires did exist after a few stories about Cordelia's hometown of Sunnydale, "Now why don't you help Richie off the floor Cordelia, and apologize for trying to stake him through the heart, even though he would have regenerated and resuscitated eventually."

"Oh, right!" Cordelia reached down and pulled the muscular strawberry-blond up with her left hand, "Sorry, I wasn't expecting you to come up behind me. I was lost in my thoughts about what if there were vampires lurking in the shadows of Paris and how much that would suck and . . . . So you must be Duncan's friend Richie Ryan. He's told me _all_ about you. It's great to finally meet you." Cordelia flashed him her patented smile, and looked him up and down appraisingly.

Cordelia Chase had an eye that could calculate a man's net worth a matter of a few seconds and while she now knew Richie Ryan was not husband or even boyfriend material for that matter, if Duncan liked him, Richie was good enough to be a friend. Besides, if he was Immortal, after a few decades, who knew how much he could be worth, eventually.

Duncan finished the introductions, "And Richie, this of course, is Cordelia Chase, my newest student, who's gonna be goin' back Sunnydale in less than two and a half months, so we really need to get back to training."

"Is Richie going to be joining us?" Cordelia questioned, eager for someone else to join them, so the poundings would be dispersed somewhat.

Duncan looked to his other student with a raised eyebrow. Richie meanwhile, was staring at Cordelia in her workout clothes, unable it seemed to take his eyes off her.

"Oh, yeah, definitely." The older protégée answered.

Duncan rolled his eyes at the boy's behavior, and discretely smacked him on the back of the head.

"Richie, why don't you go get changed, Cordelia and I will just do a few katas while we wait for you." The Highlander told him.

Richie nodded, "Right, I'll be back in a few minutes." With that, he ran down into the barge.

"He seems . . . nice." Cordelia said a few moments later.

"Aye. He is. He's a very good boy. Loyal, trustworthy." Mac told her.

Cordelia cocked her head, "How'd you meet him?"

Duncan blushed, "Well, um . . . he . . . that is to say . . . .We uh met when Richie was 17, a while before his first death. He saw me and my kinsman, Connor MacLeod fighting with another Immortal, Slan Quince, who had come for my head for some reason . . . I still don't know why he came after me, I'd never even met him in my life. Anyway, Richie saw Slan cheat and shoot a knife out of his sword, when he was about to loose to Connor, right into Connor's chest, which knocked him off the bridge they were fighting on. I showed up, defeated Slan, and Richie witnessed me receiving Slan's quickening. He also watched me dive off the bridge and pull Connor out of the river and he then saw how Connor was still alive. Connor and I both realized that we'd need to keep an eye on Richie, because A) we could sense he was a pre-immortal, and B) he'd just witnessed something that mortal's weren't supposed to see, and we really didn't need him spreading what he'd seen around. So, I took him in, gave him a job in my Antique store . . . . He managed to get himself mixed up in The Game multiple times though, even before he himself was finally pulled into The Game." Duncan sighed, "I didn't tell him how he was destined to become an Immortal like me one day . . . frankly, I was kind of hoping he would be able to avoid the whole thing. Some pre-immortals are able to do that, they can live their whole life and die a normal death, of old age. . . . But Richie . . . it was obvious from the moment I met him that wasn't his destiny. The Game had too strong a pull on him, even before his first death. It finally caught up with him when he was 19 . . . my fiancé died by his side."

"Oh Duncan . . . I'm sorry, I-I really don't know what to say . . . . I'm sure she was a wonderful woman."

Duncan gave her a small smile, "She was . . . Tessa was great and she loved Richie too. But that was a four years ago and if I've learned anything in 400 plus years, it's that you shouldn't live in the past. You can't or the past will drown out your future."

Cordelia nodded, "I suppose you're right . . . though I really don't have much of a past yet to speak of . . . ."

Duncan laughed, "No, I don't suppose you do." He shook his head, "Come on now, that's enough of a break, you distracted me long enough. Let's get back to work Chase."

Cordelia sighed in frustration, then began the kata routine with Duncan.

One month later

Cordelia sighed blissfully as she looked around, finally, a day off. It was her reward for pinning Duncan in a fight after all this time. She was going to shop all day, then eat a café, call Harmony and brag that she had some Paris originals.

Duncan walked beside her, silently amused at the teen's giddiness. He was glad to see his young charge was so happy; she seemed totally in her element as she shopped all day. He figured after forcing her to train for so long, he could at least accompany her without complaining.

Richie Ryan was with them of course. He had shown up the month before, and was completely smitten with Cordelia, though she had no inkling with regards to his affections for her. He too, was an Immortal, a recent addition to their ranks too, with in the last five years was very young for an Immortal, but Immortal he was. Only a bit older then Cordy was.

Both Richie and Duncan were taken with her charming bluntness, and her tactlessness.

Richie had burst out laughing one day when Cordelia had looked Duncan over in his dramatic black trench coat and asked him, "Alright, I give up, what is it with Immortal's and black? Practically every vampire I've ever seen only wears black! Richie might not be wearing the latest things, but a that's easily remedied . . . . But seriously, what is up with the black? This black trench coat thing especially . . . . "

"Ooh!" Cordelia squealed, picking up a dark red button up silk shirt off a rack, "Duncan, this would look great on you!" She held it up to the Scots man, "See! Wouldn't it be perfect for him Richie?"

Richie smiled, "Oh yes Cordelia. It's just totally Duncan."

Cordelia smiled back at him, causing him to blush. She had a quick look around and spotted something else she liked, "Ooh, this suit is totally you Richie!"

Richie's own visage turned to one of horror.

"Go try it on! I know you're gonna look totally handsome in it." Cordelia ordered.

Richie was among those afflicted to not being able to say no to her, he groaned taking the Armani suit from her. She handed him a white shirt to go with it, "Take this too."

The trial of trying on the suit however was totally forgotten when he stepped out of the dressing room. And Cordelia looks him up and down, then whistled, "You are a total hottie. Doesn't he look great Duncan?"

"Oh, yes, a total babe." He teased the poor boy.

Cordelia didn't even notice, she walked around Richie, "I'm gonna buy it for you. Every guy needs a really hot looking suit, and something tells me you don't have one."

Richie was about to protest, but the look on her face kept him silent.

"We'll just have it tailored to fit you're measurements, the shirts as well . . . ." She murmured to herself, pulling on the sleeves and brushing the jacket. Cordelia also knew the only way to have a proper fitting suit, was to have it custom tailored for the wearer. She found the in-store tailor, made the arrangements to have the suits and shirts tailored to Richie's measurements after which they would be delivered to the barge in one day (it was such a short time, due to the large purchase Cordelia was making at the store and the expense of the items she was purchasing. The store was eager to facilitate them in any way possible.)

They managed to get out of the store half and hour later, with three suits for Richie, five shirts and several ties. For Duncan there were four shirts and two ties, since his wardrobe was better then Richie's had been, but it still was due for an update. The suits and shirts would all be delivered the following day as promised and the two men were now quite impressed with the way Cordelia Chase handled sales clerks. They'd never seen anyone handle Parisian clerks with such finesse before . . . not to mention the way she got the staff to jump at her every whim, Duncan hadn't been so waited on in years.

**  
Seven pm **

Duncan and Richie flopped down on the couch in the barge, surrounded by bags, exhausted.

Cordelia, who had carried just as many bags, if not more, was still very energetic, "God, you men are such wimps." She shook her head as she went into the bathroom to change.

They guys were surprised when she came out wearing her workout clothes.

"What on earth are you doing?" Duncan questioned, wide eyed.

Cordelia glanced at him like he was crazy, "Going to work out of course, my God, I was shopping all day and I had a huge lunch. I need to go work off those calories. Besides, I have to be ready for Cheerleader tryouts in like, a month! I need to really concentrate on that to if I'm going to be captain! If you want to join me I'll be up on deck." When she saw they weren't going to move, she jogged out.

"Where the hell does she get all that energy?" Duncan demanded, looking up to the heavens, hoping for an answer.

"I don't know . . . but man, the possibilities . . . ." Richie uttered, naughty thoughts running through his head on how she could expel some of that energy with him.

Duncan noticed the look on the young man's face, "Don't even think about it. She's only 17 and I know she's not interested."

Richie groaned, "I know, but I can dream."

Duncan laughed, "Yes you can. Just don't let yourself get too wrapped up in those dreams, I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'll try, but with a body like that, you can't help but get burned . . ."

Up on the deck Cordelia practiced the Tai-chi Duncan had taught her, trying to get that damn Angel out of her head. Her call to Harmony had revealed that Buffy had left Sunnydale for the summer to stay with her Dad in LA until the school year started. For the past month she hadn't thought about Angel as much, because her training consumed practically her every waking moment, only in her dreams was she focusing on him now, for that she'd made herself train extra because she had to break this habit. She was going to get seriously disappointed if she didn't. And she wouldn't do that to herself. Plus, there were more important things to think about, like other immortals coming after her head . . . that was something she personally thought was quite important to concentrate on. She'd already died once and thought that those few moments were her last on earth. She hadn't liked the feeling, she hadn't done enough with her life. There was too much left for her to do . . . she wasn't going to die with so much left undone . . . Cordelia took the Game seriously, not like some Immortals, where they actively sought to end it, no Cordelia wanted to live as long a life as possible, which meant she would train as much as she had to and avoid it if she could.

Cordelia Chase wasn't going to let herself get taken out early, she'd survived almost 17 years on a Hellmouth damn it, she wasn't about to let some stupid 'Game' take her out . . . her thoughts completely resolved, Cordelia's focus became clear and her movements more graceful as she was able to concentrate fully on her task, as she stopped dwelling on the thoughts that had plagued her for many long nights . . . for the moment.

A couple days later  
**Middle of the night **

Even if Duncan had been sleeping, he would have heard the sounds coming from Cordelia's room in the barge. Richie was soundly sleeping couch, not yet stirring as the moans and cries of fear began to drift out.

The night-terrors had been happening on and off for weeks, waking the two men up often. They had not yet said anything, knowing what a private person Cordelia was. Cordelia herself hadn't said a thing about her nightly dreams, every morning after one of her 'dreams', she would wake up at Duncan's prompting, though looking a bit worse for wear, acting just as chipper as usual, if not even more cheery. The two Immortals had soon realized Cordelia was not going to be the one saying anything about what had been happening and that they were going to have to do something about it. But they still had no clue as to what her dreams could be about, whether it was just a horrible nightmare, memories of her death, which they both could relate to, or something even worse from her past, that they had no clue to, possibly even something supernatural that she'd had to deal with.

Duncan and Richie had discussed the matter repeatedly and finally come to an agreement that it could no longer go on. They both decided that they would take turns staying-up for the night and if she had a dream that night, the person awake would be responsible for waking her up and finally having a long talk with the girl. Duncan was just really glad it was his night that it was happening on, it wasn't that he didn't believe that Richie could have a proper talk with the girl, or that he didn't trust her, it was just, Cordelia was Duncan's student, and he knew he'd screwed up with Richie, big time during the days when he was still Richie's teacher. He didn't want to make the same mistakes this time around or to be as neglectful.

Duncan took a deep breath, to brace himself and then approached the door to his pupil's room. Opening the door it became clear, that Cordelia wasn't just moaning, she was crying out someone's name, as if trying to protest. She was tossing and turning, her limbs flailing around, as if they were trying to hit some unseen person.

Duncan's frown deepened once he made out the words the young girl was mumbling, "No … Stop…Jesse!" his thoughts immediately turned to what a protective boy-scout, who always is rescuing damsels in distress would automatically assume when hearing such terror filled dreams from a woman. Rape. Duncan strode to the side of her bed, kneeled down, and began attempting to wake her up…to no avail

Then she suddenly sat straight up in bed, eyes wide open, a look of extreme fear and terror on her face.

Cordelia woke up in a cold sweat on the barge of her new teachers barge for the third night that week, fear flooding her veins. The sight of a large shadowy figure looming next almost caused her to scream but her eyes quickly adjusted to the moonlight and she saw it was just Duncan.

Gasping, she clutched her breast over her racing heart, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm it down, "Damn it MacLeod, you scared me half to death…what the heck are you doing in here!"

"I'm sorry if I frightened you Cordelia, but really, you've been having night-terrors for weeks now. Don't try to deny it Cordelia, I heard you when I came in, moaning about someone named Jesse. I tried to wake you up, repeatedly, but you refused to wake until you finally woken on you own and when you did, you were quite obviously in the grips of extreme terror."

Cordelia stared at him, just blinking, then her shoulders sagged, "It's just a dream . . ."

"It sounded like more than a dream from what I've been hearing over several nights and definitely taking into account what I heard when I came into this room tonight. Cordelia, who is Jesse and what did he do to you?"

Cordelia picked at the bedspread, remaining silent. After several tense minutes she looked into Duncan's eyes and saw that he wasn't giving up, that he was serious about this whole thing. She hadn't been sleeping well for a while now, and since having helped Buffy defeat the Master, memories of other past supernatural occurrences that had happened in her life had been coming back to the girl. But there was one particular occurrence that was sticking out, that she kept dreaming about night after night. After having died here in Paris and actually having experienced death, the nightmares grew more frequent. She was tired, so, so tired of it all . . . maybe talking about it, would help.

"Jesse, Jesse was this boy I knew. A real loser, geeky, all arms and legs. He was always following me around, like a puppy dog. He was totally obsessed with me, always trying to flirt with me, asking me to dance and stuff at the Bronze, that's like, the only club we have in town and it lets in teens. Anyway, one night, he was like, different. He was . . . confidant, he had this air about him, it was commanding, dangerous. He didn't ask me to dance, he just suddenly appeared in my path on my way off the dance floor. One second I looked away, the next, he was there…I asked what he wanted, he didn't say anything, he just started pulling me back to the middle of the crowd and when I demanded to know what he was doing, he just gave me this . . . look and told me to just, shut up!" Cordelia looked up at Duncan and gave him a small helpless shrug, "I-it was sexy. I couldn't say no . . . .We danced . . . and some how, like overnight, dweeb-boy had gotten some moves and rhythm. And when I looked into his eyes . . . I just couldn't look away. Then lights in the club went out and the music stopped. Someone upon on the stage started talking and a spotlight lit up from behind one of the most built men I had, and have, ever seen, and then a something focused a blue spotlight on him. Someone screamed . . . . His face, his face was so, messed up. Now I know it's because he had his game face on. At the time though, it was just so freaky. When a vampire puts on its true visage, the ridges on its forehead become much more pronounced, especially between the eyebrows, it's like the vampire is constantly frowning. The cheekbones become more prominent, the eyes turn a freaky yellow. Then there are the fangs . . . ." Cordelia shuddered, "A vampire's canines elongate and sharpen, so do some of their other teeth. It's way freaky. Anyway, this guy up on stage was making speeches and none of us have any idea what was going on. I looked to Jesse, hoping he had some idea and . . . ." she fought back a wave of terror from the memory, "Oh God, his face had changed too. He was giving me this look, this hungry, longing look. And the guy up on stage ordered for the 'first' to be brought to him. One of the vampires brought him the bouncer. You've got to understand. This bouncer was a _big dude_ and I mean **_huge_**. Twice my size. His biceps were the size of my calves. The vampire on stage grabbed the bouncer by the neck, then feed off him. When he'd drained the man, he just dropped the bouncer like he was a napkin he was finished using and called for the next. They brought him a girl. He drank her, then discarded her. Jesse meanwhile is backing me into a corner, his arm wrapped around me, playing with my hair . . . . Even after he died his obsession with me had lived on.  
So this vampire named Darla, who I'll tell you about at a later time, interrupted Jesse's attempted feeding, or possibly his attempted 'seduction'. Though I'm not sure which is more disturbing, anyway… We were all for the 'Master', apparently, the other vampires weren't supposed to be feeding. Only that guy on the stage for some reason . . . I never did find out why . . . anyway. Jesse scowled like a child, held me to him and said that I was 'his', like I was some kind of property…it's kind of flattering when you think about it, being fought over like that, but also very scary. Thank God I didn't die then, I would have been sixteen for the rest of my immortal life. Anyway, Darla, being the ranking vampire, and _way_ smarter than Jesse, won, telling him that we, ie, the humans, were _all_ for the Master. She then yanked on me and Jesse let go. I think I was more frightened during that walk with her, than any time with Jesse. Sure, Jesse had been about to kill me, but he'd been a man, with hormones. I might have been able to talk him out of it. Darla though . . . she was fanatical in her beliefs and loyal to whomever had staged that whole thing at the bronze, and it was very obvious in the way she acted. Anyway, Darla brought me up to the big guy on the stage, who had just asked for 'volunteers'. She called me, a pretty one." Cordelia shuddered at the thought of Darla even taking the time to notice she was pretty, and then the memory of seeing Luke up close for the first time, he'd been much scarier than Jesse in his game face.

Duncan rubbed the teen's back in slow soothing circles, in an attempt to calm her. He'd had no idea things had been this bad in her life before they'd met.

"I-I think I screamed when I saw him up close for the first time. He was just so . . . big. I mean he was massive! Tall, with really broad muscular shoulders, and his face . . . it was just so distorted by his vampire visage and the lighting just made it look even more frightening. He was just grinning down at me, in this insanely smirking way, saying your going to die, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. And on his forehead, there was this symbol, I think it had been painted on in, ewwness, blood. He was holding me tightly to him, but I don't think I could have run if I had the chance, I was just too frightened by that time. Then, that, that, man, firmly grasped my jaw, to keep me from moving my head, and with his other hand caressed my cheek, like I was some lover he was about to ravish . . . .He was so close to biting me right then. God, I could practically feel his fangs on my neck, when some lackey vampire fell from the catwalks. Lead vamp who was about bite me watched him fall, then got distracted by Buffy, she's the Slayer. The two started bantering, Buffy flipped off the catwalk down onto a pool table, so she could fight. A vampire attacked, like her right away, but damn if she didn't dust it right away with a pool cue. I mean the girl does hang out with losers, but I got to admit, it's a good idea to have her around when weird shit is going down…of course, half the time she's the cause of the weird shit . . . ." Cordelia sighed, "Let me think, what happened next… oh yeah, she challenged him, asking if he wanted blood…though he being a vampire, that's kind of obvious, but anyway, he said, only hers, and kind of, forgot that I existed and let go so I ran off. That left me off me into the melee of the rest of the club filled with vampires. What happened next is kind of . . . confusing, a bit of a blur. I remember trying to get out…but Jesse, Jesse grabbed me again." Her rate of breaths increased, "He, he grabbed my wrist, hard, and was pulling me around. Then, he had me on the ground and was on top of me. I tried to get away, God, I tried so hard, but he was just so strong, stronger than any human. I hit him, so he grabbed my arms and held me down, ordered me to hold still, said I wasn't making it easy." Cordelia snorted, and looked up at Duncan, with a look of disbelief, "I didn't know you were supposed to in those types of situations. Then, out of nowhere, Xander showed up. Xander, who had been Jesse's best friend since like, kindergarten. Xander, who hated me. Xander, who to this very day, loathes and detests me, appeared with a stake in his hand, to stop Jesse. They were standing, close, really close to each other. Xander had the stake pointed right at Jesse's heart, a couple inches away. He was conflicted inside though, anyone could have seen that. He really didn't wanted to stake Jesse. Jesse taunted him, telling him the old Jesse was dead, something like that . . . . Then told him to put him out of his misery, he started saying that Xander didn't have the guts . . . but never got to finish his sentence. Someone, someone rushing to get out of the club pushed him…right onto the stake Xander was holding and then Jesse was gone, for good. Dust on the floor of the club. I high tailed it out of there after that, I wasn't going to let any more fangs near my neck . . . at least for that night.  
Anyway, I drove home, and the next day, somehow, the memory of that night got . . . hazy, mixed up. Like a lot of my memories of Sunnydale were, for a long time. It wasn't until after I had to face the truth, face the truth about what the hell was going on in our freak of a town, that the real memories started coming back, of what had really happened, on so many occasions, late at night, at school, parties, on dates. Its like, your mind doesn't want to accept what it's seen, so it makes up a scenario, that's much more acceptable . . . I mean, for the past couple months, I actually accepted the explanation, that wild dogs got into the school and _ate_ the principle."

Duncan's eye grew wide, "Wild dogs!" he blinked several times, "Um, what did really happen?"

Cordelia shook her head, "I don't think I want to know . . . I really don't even want to imagine what it was."

The Highlander nodded his head in agreement, his stomach turning at the very idea, "But back to the whole incident with Jesse, it's obvious this has been on your mind for some time now."

Cordelia nodded, "I guess, but I think it's mostly just memories coming back to the surface. I never got the chance to process the major traumas as they happened to me. Jesse . . . he's just one of many."

Duncan nodded his head in understanding, "We all have things in our past that haunt us. Whether it be things that we've done, or things that were done to us. We can't ever change the past, but remember it's over. I know it's difficult sometimes to move forward, to stop dwelling but everyone must. Just remember, Richie and I are here for you to talk to if you need us. Whenever, you need us, even in the middle of the night, don't worry about waking one of us if you want to talk. Even after you go back to America Chase, feel free to call, any time."

Cordelia sighed and nodded, "Yeah, alright. Thanks Duncan…and um, thank you for listening. I don't say thank you sincerely often, but really, _thank you_."

Duncan gave her shoulder a warm squeeze, "You're welcome. Now, do you think you're going to be able to sleep?"

"Oh yeah, no problem. Go, get some sleep yourself!" She told him, "You look like you've been up all night…" then with a start, she realized he probably had, then silently laid down, and rolled over facing the wall. Her stomach churned at the thought that someone had actually been so worried about her that they'd stayed up to make sure she'd been ok . . . her parent had never done that . . .

Duncan sensed the sudden wall that Cordelia had erected when she'd realized he had stayed up to see if she would have a nightmare…he didn't want to push their new found openness though, or Cordelia when she was fragile like she was. He realized the best thing to do right then, was to go to bed. She knew now that people cared about her, and that was what mattered. He wasn't sure why the idea that someone could care for her would cause her to shut down, and the notion of that made him sad.

He slowly stood up left the room, and went to bed, thinking over what he'd learned. It was odd, how his two students, who came from such different backgrounds, could be so similar in certain ways. Both Richie and Cordelia were starved of attention, and people who really cared about them in their life, cared about what happened to them. Emotionally, physically, on a day-to-day level. And it was obvious that there were scars for both on a mental level. Cordelia hid her pain behind her Queen C façade, Richie behind his tough-guy attitude, but both were vulnerable underneath, craving love and someone to give them some sort of path.

**  
A few weeks later  
****Nine am **

Duncan, Richie, and Cordy (as they called her) were on the deck of the barge. The trio was slowly going through the painstakingly planned sword training exercises, when they were afflicted with The Buzz, signaling that yet another Immortal was in close proximity. It was a very powerful Buzz as well, signaling that of an old lifeline.

All three immediately began to look around and quickly spotted a tall, thin man sauntering en route of them. The three tensed, ready to fight if need be, until Duncan and Richie finally recognized him.

"Methos!" Duncan called out. Cordelia noted that Duncan and Richie had put down their swords, so she did as well.

The man came and gave Duncan and Richie each a firm handshake. Stopping at Cordelia looking her up and down, then took her hand and bought it up to his mouth and kissed it, "And who, is this lovely creature we have here?"

Duncan made the introductions, "This is Cordelia Chase. She's from America. She's completely new to the game. Just found out her Immortal status a couple months ago, she is my new student."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Cordelia, as you have heard, I am Methos, but I _prefer_ to go by Adam Pierson." He glared a bit at Duncan when saying this, angry at the other immortal for being so careless with his name.

Cordelia's nose crinkled for a moment, and then it was as if a light flickered on inside her head, "You're like the oldest living person in the world aren't you?"

"So you told her eh?" Adam queried Duncan, a bit more pissed.

Duncan shook his head, bewildered that she had known.

Cordelia explained it to them, "Immortals aren't _that_ much of a secret. . . I mean, it's not like mortal's haven't ever heard stories about us, they just think we are just myths. But the Slayer's Watchers council does have a few books on our legend. Methos was one of the first Immortals, over 5000 years old by now. Suspected to be one of the four horsemen . . . . Gods, you're the legend of legends to them."

"How on earth do you know that?" Methos demanded, very suspicious of the girl.

"I live in Sunnydale. I've read a few of the books in the library." She explained indifferently.

"Ah, the Hellmouth. I see you must work with the Slayer. Actually, the Immortal's Watchers Council is where the origin's of the Slayer's Watchers Council got started, they just have blocked out their existence for some reason." Adam informed her.

Cordelia smirked at Duncan and Richie, "Told you I lived at the Hellmouth, and that Buffy was the Slayer."

"I never said that you didn't!" Richie exclaimed.

Cordelia glared at him, "Maybe, but you never said you believed me." She turned to Adam, "You ever met a vampire? Or any of those other things that go bump in the night?"

"Oh tons of times. Most of them are down right ugly wankers."

"I know! Total gross factor of a scale one to ten, most of them are like 15." Cordelia imparted to him, sheathing her sword as they started to walk and talk, leaving Richie and Duncan behind.

"I really hate the ones with slime, or ooze. The smell is impossible to get off your clothes." Adam commented.

"I know! And of course the ones they ruin are always the really expensive ones, never the stuff that is easy to replace . . ."

_  
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Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.

AN 2005: Oh, and I really, really need a beta for this fic. Beta's are the backbone of my stories. I desperately need them, not just to send my fics to be edited, but for someone to bounce plot ideas off of (and who will know what the heck I'm talking about!)

So, if there are any volunteers out there, either say so in your reply, or e-mail me at: goddessacacia hotmail. com (remove the spaces for it to work)

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**  
Rules of the Immortals **

A) Immortals must eventually fight each other until all but one are dead, as "there can be only one."

B) The fact of their immortality must never be revealed to mortal humans. _(Duncan has broken this one several times) _

C) When Immortals fight, they fight one against one - no mortal or another Immortal may assist in a fight.

D) No fighting may take place on Holy Ground. It is considered to be sanctuary and is a place where talks between enemies can occur safely.


	2. The Return

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You  
By Jules  
  
Chapter 2  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
b** A couple weeks later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia knocked Richie down on his butt, triumphant, "Yes! Wahoo! I - Kicked - Your - @ss!" She reached down and pulled him to his feet.  
  
Richie rubbed his tailbone, "I think you broke me."  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes, "Oh quit being such a wimp. God, you're acting just like Xander."  
  
Richie grabbed his chest, like he'd been stabbed, "Ooh, insult right to the heart. That was a harsh one." Then he laughed putting his arm around her, "Ok, what do you want for kicking my @ss." He'd promised her anything she wanted if she beat him five out of six.  
  
She gazed at him with her eyes hopeful, "Come with me to Sunnydale, it would be a total bore with out someone to fight with there. And since Duncan said I'm not supposed to alert anyone to my true nature, it's not like I can fight or train with anyone around there. I'd like to have one immortal there with me."  
  
Richie was shocked, "Um, ok! That would be cool. California huh? Hmm, I always wanted to live there!"  
  
They both felt The Buzz and glanced around.   
  
"Mind if I come too?" Adam asked, as he came into the room.   
  
Cordelia's face lit up, "Really?"  
  
"Yeah! I've always wanted to visit the Hellmouth, and a Slayer." Adam shrugged smiling.   
  
Cordelia ran over and jumped into the arms of the 5000-year-old man whom she'd grown close to over the past two weeks. They had a lot more in common then Duncan would have thought.  
  
"Thanks guys! You are the best!"  
  
"Plus we'll teach you how to have fun at night, so no one will catch you killing the bad guys." Richie whispered in her ear as Duncan came into the room.   
  
"What's going on?" He questioned, seeing the secretive looks on his friends faces.  
  
"We're going to Sunnydale with Cordy." Richie informed him.  
  
"Oh, well, please call me every now and then and let me know how you are." Duncan made them promise, knowing he was going to miss his friends.   
  
"I will. I promise Dunc. You're stuck with me now, you couldn't get rid of me if you tried MacLeod." Cordelia disclosed, grinning.   
  
  
  
  
b** Two-day's later **  
** At the airport terminal **/b  
  
  
"Take care of her." Duncan ordered Adam and Richie secretly while Cordelia was at the gift shop, "She's still young, and very impulsive. You know how that could be a problem Adam."  
  
"Don't worry MacLeod, we'll protect her. Hell, I've even bought a mansion right down the street from her for Richie and I, so we can be close by. Plus Richie somehow managed to get a job at the High School, I'm not even going to ask how. And since the mansion is still in the midst of being decorated, we're staying with her until her parents come home." Adam assured Duncan.   
  
Cordelia came up with a book to read on the flight in her hand, plus a little something for Xander.  
  
"Are you guys ready? The plane's almost ready to board." She let them know.   
  
"Yeah, we're ready." Richie confirmed.   
  
"Good, MacLeod, I'm gonna miss you. Thank you, if you hadn't found me, I would probably be headless right now, or locked up in a mental institution."  
  
"It was nothing. I'm just glad that you're going to be ok. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me Cordy. And never tell anyone what you are, unless is absolutely necessary." Duncan instructed her.   
  
The flight to Sunnydale was announced and it was time to leave.  
  
He gave her a card, which meant she had to pick up something at the airport once she was in Sunnydale, "I won't MacLeod." She gave him a quick hug, something totally un-Cordelia like, "I'll miss you. And I won't ever forget what you taught me. Au-revoir mon amí."  
  
With that she hurried away, so he wouldn't catch her tears. Adam gave Duncan a quick hug, and then rushed after her.   
  
Richie hugged his friend too, "I'll protect her Dunc. You can count on me." Then he too went through the door.   
  
  
  
b** Sunnydale **  
** The airport, hours later **/b  
  
  
The trio stopped at the pickup desk, where Richie and Adam got their swords. Then Cordelia handed them the ticket Duncan had given her at the Airport in Paris. Adam and Richie patiently waited with her, a long case was brought out too her. Cordelia knew better then to open it there, so once they got to her car in the parking lot, they opened it on the trunk. Inside was a beautiful sword, with an ivory handle with delicate patterns carved into it.   
  
"Wow." Was all they could say, it was a very expensive, and meaningful gift. It was obvious that the sword had been used, but not for a very long time. It was in amazing condition too, for the 200-year-old Dragon-Head katana Adam identified it as. [/IJust to give you a little back ground info, the Dragon-Head katana was actually created for the show Highlander. You can buy a sword identical to the one used by Duncan on the show, but it is not a combat weapon. **/I]  
  
"Duncan must have found when he was looking for things for his antique shop, I just hope that the owners didn't know what it really was, otherwise he would have spent a fortune on it." Richie commented.  
  
Cordelia fingers the blade, and then silently closes the case, "I miss him already. You know, spending practically every single minute of your life with a man for three months, they tend to grow on you, no matter how tacky their hair cut is."  
  
Adam put his arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead, "I know you do Cordy, but you can talk to him soon."  
  
Cordelia sighed, nodding her head. She took a deep breath then perked up, "So, what do you guys want to do? My parents aren't going to be home for another two weeks from Switzerland, and the house is ours! School doesn't start for a week either, so we've got seven days and seven nights to fill."  
  
"Oh, I think we can come up with something." Richie assured her laughing.   
  
Cordelia had brought home a lot more suitcases of clothes then she'd arrived with, so her trunk and a seat in the back of her car were full of suitcases.  
  
They all crammed into the car, Richie squeezed in the backseat, next to most of his and Adam's luggage, since the rest was being sent there. Because they were moving to Sunnydale everything they owned was being sent. Adam sat next to Cordelia in the passenger seat.  
  
  
  
  
b** Right before sunset that night **/b  
  
  
Richie and Cordelia were looking through her family's extensive collection of movies, trying to find a good one to watch, when Adam sauntered into the room.   
  
"Cordy, how would you like to get some practicing in?" Adam inquired, with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
Cordelia jumped up, actually excited at the prospect, "Ooh! I'll go change!"  
  
She quickly ran upstairs and got into the stealth look, which she'd grown to really like. Black, now that she'd thought about it, was a very appealing color.   
She put on a black wrap around skirt and a black spaghetti strap shirt, since it was still summer. She'd learned how to fight in heels too, so she put on some black 3-inch platforms. She pulled a see-through black, gauzy, long sleeve shirt on over the tank and she was ready after tying her hair back. A lightweight, designer, black trench coat, which went to her mid-thigh, was long enough to conceal the sword, but still short enough to be fashionable.   
  
  
Soon she, Adam, and Richie were walking through the cemetery, looking for some live dummies [vamps] to get some practice in.   
  
They got bored and were soon sitting on some aboveground, symbolic, tomb, with nothing in it, conversing.   
  
"I have to know Richie, how on earth did you get a job at my high school?" Cordelia questioned, leaning back and swinging her legs.   
  
"I faked a resume, really simple actually. But I'm just going to be a student teacher, easy stuff. It will be nice to be giving back to a community."  
  
"Oh please, you're just doing it just to get a close look at the cheerleaders at the games." Adam accused knowingly.  
  
"Who, me?" Richie asked innocently, "That's not true!"  
  
Cordelia glared at him sternly, "That had better not be true Richie! And Adam, why did you have to say that?! I'm a cheerleader! Now that's all I'm going to be thinking about every time I do a high kick."  
  
"Oops, forgot. I didn't mean it. And I'm sure that Richie doesn't plan on doing that." Adam lied, he knew that Richie had a crush on Cordelia, and was using every opportunity to give her extremely subtle hints.   
  
All three jumped when a deep voice came up behind them, "It's not safe to be out around here after dark." He warned.   
  
Cordelia stiffened, then hopped off, turning around, leaning on the tomb, which Richie and Adam still sat on, "I know Angel, but it's been totally quiet out here so far. No un-dead in sight!"  
  
  
Angel's chest constricted at the sight of the beautiful girl, he hadn't seen her for months, and had thought his feelings had been just a phase that had passed, and then now the moment his eyes laid upon her, it had happened again.   
  
"Hey Cordelia." Angel raised his eyebrow, to the two men who had twisted around to see the vampire, "Hello, I'm Angel."  
  
"Cool! This is the first time I ever met a vampire!" Richie exclaimed.  
  
Adam whapped Richie on the head "Shut up you bonehead." He hissed.  
  
"Cordelia, is there something you'd like to tell me?" Angel posed, wondering why she'd let two strangers in on his secret.   
  
"Relax Angel, these are my friends Adam Pierson and Richie Ryan. Adam has known about your kind's existence for years, and Richie, well, he just overhears things, but don't let his stupidity fool you, he won't tell anyone." Cordelia promised him, "These dorks live for bloodshed, and we were just really bored. So I was showing them the old haunts. How were things in Sunnydale while I was gone? Anything happen?"  
  
"No, nothing since before you all went on summer vacation. But things usually are pretty quiet for a while after a Master is staked. Things should be picking up again very soon. Actually, they're a little late in getting back into action, but soon."  
  
Cordelia mentally chastised her heart for beating so fast just because he was there, but went on like it was not happening, "Oh, well, it was nice seeing you again Angel. Come on Richie, Adam, we'll just go change, and then I'll take you guys to the Bronze."  
  
Angel watched the three walked away; Richie and Cordelia arguing.   
  
"But Cordy, it's a teen hang out!" Richie protested, "I'm their teacher for Pete's sake!"  
  
"Oh quit whining Richie, you're not officially a teacher 'til next Wednesday, besides your only a Istudent/I teacher to a IGYM/I teacher. You don't see Adam here complaining . . ."  
  
Cordelia's scolding became unrecognizable.   
She was the same Cordelia, but Angel could tell something was different. For one, she had been dressed in all black, and she possessed a new, 'air', to her, something had changed. Angel shrugged it off as the results of a summer in France.  
  
  
  
b** Two days later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia decided to go patrolling, while Adam and Richie moved some of their things into their new mansion. They weren't going to be coming back until around midnight or later, so Cordelia had some time on her hands.   
  
She put on another short black skirt, a tight black tank top and another lightweight see-through black shirt. It had to be something about not being a mortal, black just seemed like the prefect color for those who would live forever. Its appeal was becoming very noticeable to her, and most of the clothes she'd bought for herself in Europe were black too. She promised herself that she wouldn't only wear dark colors though, no matter how tempted.   
  
Cordelia kept her hair back with a black knit dew rag, which allowed the curls she had to flow down her back, but kept them out of her face.   
  
A few stakes, holy water, and a cross and she was ready.   
Cordelia's thoughts were that she might as well do her part since Buffy hadn't returned from LA yet. Plus she needed to work out some tension, and she could only beat the crap out of Richie so many times before it got old!  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Angel had always been grateful for his times alone. Though during the past few months it had been practically constant, which had gotten a bit lonely, but it had given him lots of time to think.   
  
And he's been thinking even more ever since he'd seen Cordelia two days ago. Angel had always been secretly attracted to her at the same time he'd been attracted to Buffy. Buffy had caused the feelings first, but Cordelia made his mind go numb whenever he saw her, or thought of her.   
  
Angel had actually ended up making a list earlier today.   
  
Both were so beautiful, but so different.   
  
Buffy had shoulder length golden blond hair (yeah, bottled blond, but he didn't really care), she had those amazing greenish-blue eyes. She was strong, and not just in strength. She had been through a lot as the slayer. Watched friends be killed, killed friends, given up things. He'd really admired her, and grown close to her, but her being the Slayer had really caused a major strain on their relationship. She'd opened up his heart to love for the first time in over 220 years.  
  
Cordelia on the other hand had very long satiny dark brown hair and hazel eyes that blazed when she was mad. He knew the others didn't see it, but Cordelia was smart, and quick, but she was very protective of herself and hid behind her mask of being a bitch. She didn't let many people into her heart, or let them even pierce the armor that she protected herself with. Her heart was pure, true, and loyal though, and it was waiting for someone to come along to make her see love, so she could open it up for the world to see it's beauty. She could be or do anything. The moment Angel had seen her he'd felt feelings stirring in his soul, unlike anything he'd ever felt, he'd just never let it show.   
  
  
Angel also knew though, getting to close to either of them wouldn't be fair to them. Angel had also done research in his time along, and found that he could lose his soul, because of a damn happiness clause in his curse. And on top of that with Buffy, she was meant to kill his kind. Plus with either girl, they would both grow old one day, then die, leaving him alone, with the pain of loneliness once more. He couldn't allow himself the luxury of happiness, and he'd have to end it eventually, didn't he? So he would just make Cordelia unhappy inevitably . . . Wait, Cordelia? He'd Imeant/I to think 'either one', but Cordelia had just popped in his brain.   
  
  
Then Angel saw Iher/I walking towards him, he noticed her lips moving, and he hid behind a tree, not wanting to be spotted by her.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Cordelia wandered around the graveyard, which was dead quiet. She laughed softly at the thought.  
  
"Of course it's dead quiet, it's a graveyard!" Then she groaned, "Oh good Cordelia. Now you're talking to yourself. You are seriously going mental. Basically your first time alone in three months, and you start talking to yourself." She sighed, "Oh well, it's better then all that quiet. I hate quiet, too eerie for my liking. Hmm, maybe this way I can think my thoughts out. They run around enough in there on their own, but maybe this will clear them up. First subject, vampires; to start, a handsome one, with a soul, who knows how to dress. Who of course, just like the nut job I am, captured my heart the second I laid eyes on him. He fills my dreams with visions, and feelings of his cool lips, and fingers all over my body . . ."  
  
  
Behind his tree Angel was stunned frozen at her words of her feelings towards him. And also at images that flashed through his mind of him touching her hot body, pressing his lips against hers and his tongue exploring the hot inner depths of her mouth . . .   
  
  
Cordelia went on, still unaware of her audience, "Running my fingers through his amazing hair. His strong hands and arms holding me. Caressing my face." Her hand unconsciously went up and lightly traced her cheekbone, as if she could feel his touch. The she stopped, upset, "Ooh, Cordelia, you should be ashamed of yourself, you're not supposed to have such thoughts about him, you promised yourself." She reprimanded herself, then giggled at how ridiculous she must sound, "I must be going crackers. New subject, new unsexual subject . . . um, ooh, um . . . damn, right when I need something my mind draws a blank." She stopped and stood still for a second, "I got it! Various ways to kill evil vamps. The old fashioned stakes is one of the main ways to kill them . . . but if you want to torture them first, crosses and holy water. Now I'm starting to feel bad about the holy water or crosses though, what it must do to their complexion if you don't kill them!"  
  
  
Angel finally snapped out of his fantasies and heard that she'd changed the subject and decided to make his presence known.  
  
"And I guess fire always will be a good alternative to kill the vampires too . . ." She mused.   
  
Angel forced a laugh, "Are you planning to kill me anytime soon?"  
  
Cordelia jumped, grabbing a stake, and spun towards his voice, "God, Angel! You are so lucky I looked before I staked, otherwise you'd be a pile of dust right now!"  
  
"I guess I am." He told her, his smile disappearing, "What are you doing alone in the graveyard so late at night?"  
  
"I'm just walking, for now. I figured I might as well make sure there weren't any new vamps coming around, to run rampant once Buffy came back . . ." She looked down and blushed, "And I had nothing to do, Adam and Richie won't be back until after midnight."  
  
"Cordelia, you shouldn't be here alone." He admonished sternly.  
  
Cordelia's eyes flashed and looked up with a defiant stare, "I can protect myself perfectly well thank you Angel."  
  
Angel sighed, "Cordelia, Buffy would stake me if I let anything happen to any of her Slayerettes while I was on duty. I think your turning into a vampire would qualify as something."  
  
"Geez, uptight much? Relax Angel. You sound just like Adam! If you weren't a vampire I'd tell you to cut down on the caffeine intake!"  
  
Angel just frowned at her, "Come on, I'm taking you home before something happens."  
  
"Too late." A new voice informed them.   
  
While they had been arguing, a small group of vampires had snuck up on him.   
  
Cordelia and Angel immediately went back to back, so Angel didn't see Cordelia's eyes sparkling in excitement.   
  
"Damn." Angel muttered.   
  
"Scared?" Asked one of the obviously very new vampires, who was about to attack them.   
  
Angel smiled evilly, "Nope." Then he morphed into his demon face and pulled a stake out of his pocket.  
  
Soon both he and Cordelia had dusted two vamps each, with three more to go. Now that Angel was facing her, she high kicked a vamp in the chin, stunning it, then kicked it Angel's way, where he staked it. One tried to get away when Angel's back was turned, so Cordelia threw a stake, like Adam had taught her to do with knives, and dusted it.   
  
Angel looked Cordelia up and down once the fight was over, her hair was a mess, and she had a cut at her hair line, "That doesn't look too good. I'd better take you home and bandage that up."  
  
Cordelia was feeling fine, and knew that soon after he taped it, the abrasion would have healed, but just went followed.   
  
  
She invited him in to her mansion, brought a first-aid kit to the dining room table, and pulled out some antibiotic cream on it, gauze, and tape.   
  
  
"Have you ever been in love Angel? Are you in love?" Cordelia probed cautiously, as Angel was putting the antibiotic cream on the wound.  
  
"I might be. But I can't be in love, and she can't love me, it wouldn't be fair to her." He divulged her, as he gently placed the gauze on her cut and tape it on.   
  
"God, Cryptic Guy rears his head! Care to explain that Soul-boy?" She invited teasingly.   
  
Angel gave a little grimace, because she sounded like Xander, then explained his sad plight to her, "It's because of a clause in the curse, which gives me my soul actually. If I experience total happiness, I lose my soul and become Angelus again, and he's a mean guy. Trust me, I remember, and he tries to talk me into things every day. I just wish that my soul was anchored, so I don't have to worry about hurting those who I love. If I had my soul, I could finally be happy with someone I love."  
  
Cordelia felt her heart practically break for the sexy man sitting next to her. It was then she made her vow; she would get Angel his soul, with no clauses where he could lose it. Then maybe he could be happy with Buffy. She knew she'd never have a chance with him, but if he was happy, she'd live the rest of her immortal life knowing that she had done something selfless for once. She bit her lip to keep from crying, realizing that she'd lose him forever because of this, but knew she had to.  
  
Cordelia swallowed the lump in her throat, "I hope it happens one day. Ooh, you'll have to go to be before Adam and Richie come back."   
  
"They're coming here?" Angel questioned.   
  
"Yeah, they are living with me, since my parents gave all the servants paid vacation, until they come back next week. It's lonely here all alone."  
  
"They left you completely alone?" Angel asked shocked, his entire being was shaking in anger about this mistreatment.   
  
Cordelia just shrugged her shoulders, "It's not like it's the first time. And I guess they figure that I'm 16, I don't need a babysitter. It's just that the mansion is so big, and it gets creepy when no one else is around . . . not that anyone's around much when they are 'home'." She told him as she led him to the door.   
  
"Oh, well, good night." Then he walked away into the darkness, his soul aching for the obviously neglected teen behind him.   
  
She followed Angel out the door and whispered to his back, "Good night Angel, protect the world."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
** You can find more info about the sword and see a picture of it at http://www.swords.com/main.phtml?WTD=S4   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	3. School Days

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You   
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 3  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
b** First day of school **  
** Five am **/b  
  
  
Adam shook the poor immortal teenage girl awake, from a wonderful dream she was having, involving Angel and whipped cream. I[I think we all know the one, we've all had it many times . . . the one with him in a bathtub full of bubble bath is quite, um, entertaining too.]/I   
  
"Come on Cordy, we need to train before school."  
  
"Ooh you are so lucky I'm half asleep right now . . ." She grumbled, "I'll be down in ten minutes." As she walked to the bathroom he could swear he heard her say, "For the first time since I met Buffy, I'm not envious of her. She's been doing this for over a year now . . . what a crock, you would think having supernatural power would make life easier, but no, I'm getting up when it's still dark . . ."  
  
  
The trio practiced Tai chi until Cordelia and Richie had to get ready for school.  
  
  
After practice, Cordelia washed and styled her hair, and then she slipped on a white sundress, which tied at an empire waistline style, on her tanned well-toned body. She was in better shape then last year, and looked even more amazing then before. Cordy pulled on another gauzy see-through, this time yellow, long sleeved shirt and tied the ends at her natural waistline. She quickly accessorizes with a watch, a pendent, earrings, and an ankle bracelet. Cordelia did her make up, and put on her white platform strap sandals, then she grabbed a tiny white backpack purse, a notebook, plus a large big of gifts she'd brought home from Paris, and she was ready to go.   
  
Richie was waiting for her in black Nike wind-pants and a white t-shirt with a black Nike swoosh on it.   
  
Since he didn't have a car, Cordelia would be driving them to and from school everyday, until his motorcycle came, at which time he would alternately give her rides to school.   
  
"Finally, we're going to be late on the first day Cordy!"  
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes, "Relax Richie, I'll get us there in plenty of time, only geeks take first hours, and teachers aren't required to be there for awhile. Besides, I'll get us there in 12 minutes."  
  
"But it's a 20 minute drive." He protested.  
  
They certainly made it to school in no time, only Richie was looking a little peeked.  
  
Cordelia had missed orientation two weeks ago, so she headed to the Guidance Office for her schedule and things.   
  
She knew that her locker was near her clique's, Harmony had made sure of that, but now she needs to find out her classes.   
  
  
  
*******************************************  
  
Name: Chase, CordeliaGrade: 11 ID: 0000230080  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
uPeriod/u uClass/uuTeacher/uuRoom#/u  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
1st No Class  
2nd ChemistryVandenburg, BobB-5  
3rd English 11Gillette, Mike C-6  
4th World Hist.Harvey, SteveE-6  
5thStudy HallGiles, RupertLibrary  
6thFrench IIIFlikama, MarieE-12  
7thSlf. Defns.Sukup, DavidGym  
  
  
*******************************************  
  
  
  
Cordelia groaned at her unnecessary classes, which last year had seemed like a good idea, French and Self-Defense. Duncan had easily taught her the language in her time with him, and obviously how to fight. Cordelia could stand the 7th hour, because she'd be able to practice that way. But French had to go, so she made arrangements to take the years final during class today. That would get her out of the class, but still qualify her for the credit.   
  
She had an hour until her first class, so she quickly went to the gym, where she found Richie getting his instructions from the gym teacher he'd be assisting. Cordelia leaned against the wall waiting for him, he sensed her presence from 'the buzz', and as soon as the older man finished he went over to her.   
  
"So, what hours do you work?" She questioned getting right to the point.   
  
"2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th." He rattled off quickly.  
  
"Perfect! I only classes I have are during those hours. And I have self-defense 7th hour, with you apparently."   
  
"Great!" Richie was really happy that she was in his self-defense class, now he'd get to watch her work out an extra hour ever day in her sports bra.  
  
"Yeah, 5th hour is study hour, then we have lunch. Then I have French III, which is going to be too easy since Duncan taught me this summer, so I'm taking the final exam for the whole year today, which will get me out of the class, but I'll still get my credit! So after today, we're going to have the rest of the day together, because you're going to start coming to the library with me." Cordelia told him, then glanced at the watch on her wrist, "Ooh, gotta jet if I'm going to meet up with Harmony and the rest of the crowd and give them their gifts. See ya 5th hour, I'll come pick you up so you don't get lost!"  
  
Richie marveled at the workings of her mind and knew the smart thing was to agree with her, which was what he would always do, "Alright, I'll be waiting for you."  
  
Cordelia then sauntered out of the gym. Richie and all the guys coming in for weight training watching her walk away admiringly.   
  
  
Soon a familiar voice squealed, "Cordelia!"  
  
Cordelia spotted her friends waiting for her, "Hey Harmony, guys. Missed ya!"  
  
"Tell me all about Paris, what did you do?" Harmony questioned eagerly.   
  
"Well, I went shopping, I ate in cafés, lived on a boat on the Riviera." She revealed to them, as if it was no big deal.  
  
"God we are so totally jealous." One girl moaned.   
  
"I did bring you all back something though!"  
  
Cordelia handed out small boxes to everyone, and a large box to Harmony, since she was her best friend. All the girls got silk scarves, and Harmony got a one of a kind dress, straight from the runways in Paris.  
  
"They're beautiful!" Another one of the girls gasped, gently fingering the fabric.  
  
Harmony agreed, loving her new dress, "Great style!"  
  
"So, Sunnydale was dead huh?"  
  
"Completely, and all the hot guys like totally disappear-." Harmony was cut off when someone bumped into her. It was Buffy, "God freak, rude much?"  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes then went on her way.  
  
Then Harmony went back to chattering, not even noticing that Cordelia watched Buffy walk away, as she tried to figure out what Angel saw in her, which made her so special.  
  
  
  
b** 5th hour **/b  
  
  
As soon as class had ended Cordelia arrived in the doorway of the gym, waiting for Richie, who quickly locked the office and went with her, his arm habitually around her shoulders as they walked to the library.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Giles came out of his office to find Buffy, Xander, and Willow waiting for him, "So I see that they managed to arrange it for everyone to be in here this hour for study hall."  
  
"Yep. So, G-man, how was your vacation?" Xander inquired.   
  
"Quite quiet actually. It's been fairly dead around here, no pun intended. Since Buffy killed the Master, but that is very normal after a major leader in a vampire community has been sl-slain . . ." He told them, cleaning his glasses.   
  
Giles trailed off as he noticed Cordelia standing there, with some young-man's arm around her shoulders, apparently over hearing the whole thing.   
  
"Hey Giles, Buffy, Dorkhead, Willow." She greeted cheerfully.   
  
"Hello Cordelia . . . um, who's that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Isn't he the new student teacher/coach in gym?" Xander questioned, recognizing him from his 3rd hour strength and conditioning class.  
  
"Yep!" Cordelia confirmed, "This is Richie Ryan. Richie, that's Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, and Rupert Giles."  
  
"Nice to meet you." Richie greeted, leaving his arm around her shoulder, "So, got any new 'badies', as Cordy calls them."  
  
"Gosh Richie, give them a minute. We just got back form Summer Vacation, brains don't function that well for the first couple of weeks." Cordelia pushed him into a chair, and then put her bag on the table. "First of all, I know you are bothered about Richie, but Angel didn't spaz about it, so I don't think you will. Richie's known for awhile, and he's pretty good at fighting."  
  
Giles felt a headache coming on, and it wasn't even lunch on the first day, "Alright, f-fine."  
  
"Oh, and if you guys want, I brought you all back presents from Paris. Most of the stuff in the bag is for Giles though."  
  
Xander's eyes light up, "Ooh! Presents! Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"  
  
Cordelia pulls out a bunch of bags, "These are for you Willow . . ." She hands the girl about 3 bags, "I kind of went nuts, and they aren't my size, so don't even try to give them back. This is for you Xander . . . and this is for you Buffy." She'd gotten Willow several outfits from the cutest boutique, she didn't know what had possessed her to do so, but when she got back to Duncan's, there they all were, and not a single thing was her size, or did they suite her as well as they would Willow. At the same shop she's gotten a dress for Buffy, and a cute dagger from Duncan's antique store that was very old, was supposed to be hidden in a boot. For Xander there were a few in fashion shirts, a cross necklace, and a self-help book (she'd picked the last one up at the airport gift shop, she saw it and immediately thought of him.).  
  
"And as for you Giles, I hope your gifts will be a big help around here, and keep you occupied. Richie's boss found them in an attic." She explained, as she pulled out two large stacks of ancient texts bound in leather, "A few are in French, I can translate those, several in English, two in Latin, and the rest are in Gaelic, Angel will have to help translate those."  
  
Giles looked through the titles, his eyes wide, "M-my God. Most of these books were thought to be lost over 200 years ago. Thank you. Thank your boss for me Richie, please."  
  
"Oh it wasn't much." Richie admitted, "Mac has tons more of those one of a kinds books, anything thing he can do to help . . ."  
  
Giles nodded his head, still stunned by the books that lay before him.  
  
"So, what's up Giles? Any uglies in town?" Buffy inquired impatiently.  
  
"Ooh, yes. Just the usual, Angel said he destroyed four vamps last night and 20 vampires last week total, so things are slowly picking back up. But that's the most activity he's s-seen all summer."  
  
Cordelia listened closely, but with a practiced look of disinterest on her face, so as to seem like she didn't care, but she'd still know what's going on. Since she knew couldn't do much to help openly, but she could still do her part. She filed her nails as she listened.   
  
"As anyone else talked to Angel?" Buffy asked fidgeting.  
  
Cordelia didn't even look up, "Me."   
  
Everyone but Richie looked at her surprised.  
  
"You talked to Deadboy?" Xander demanded shocked.   
  
"Yeah, a few times."   
  
Everyone stared at her, their mouths open wide in shock. Last time they knew, she and Angel didn't talk.   
  
She glanced at their stunned faces, "What? Richie, Adam, and I get bored. All alone in the mansions like that, so we go out at night. We saw him, we talked to him. He's a nice guy, for a vampire."  
  
"What on the Hellmouth did you two talk about?" Buffy pressed, wanting to know what the girl was doing talking to the man she . . . er her good friend.  
  
Richie bit his lip to keep from laughing; he knew Cordelia was being very easy going about the whole situation just to mess with them.   
  
"Just this and that." Cordelia told them vaguely, "Hey, did you guys know the curse which gave him his soul has a happiness clause? How depressing! If he has one moment of complete happiness it's bye-bye Angel, hello Angelus his total demon personality, who will take back over. No wonder the man broods so much."  
  
"No, Cordy, it's the black. It makes a person solemn and somber like that." Richie claimed, actually being serious, cause I mean, have you ever seen a person who wears black all the time happy?!  
  
Giles was mildly confused, so he decided maybe they should get to work, then maybe his head would clear, "Right, we really should get to work . . . . Um Cordelia would you mind getting to work on translating this old book of spells? It might be of use to us someday."  
  
Cordelia sighed, but took the book, "Do you have anything you want me to write them down into?"  
  
Giles went into his office and returned with an old, but empty leather bound book and handed it to her.   
  
Cordelia settled down at the table, and Richie sat down next to her, since her reading of French wasn't at the same level as her speaking of it. One thing was for sure, by the time she'd translated all the texts, she'd certainly know how to read and write it! She pulled out a calligraphy pen, to give the words an artistic old-world quality, and opened the two books.   
  
She was just about to get started when something hits her, "Oh Giles, today I can only stay till 6th hour, then I need to go take my French III final, so I'll have another free hour. But after which, from now on, I'll be free 5th hour to 7th."  
  
Again she had surprised the whole group, except Richie, who knew that this was the true side of Cordelia, which she just didn't let out at school. This wasn't Cordelia Chase, Ice Queen, this was Cordy, one of his closest friends.   
  
  
  
b** Two hours later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia had decided to skip lunch so she had actually gotten through, and translated eight spells, with Richie's help. Silly stuff really. The book was split into sections, Earth, Fire, Air, Water, Love, Transformation, and then some very serious spells, which were only meant to be used by very powerful Wiccan's. Thus far she'd only translated some of the Earth stuff. A few growth spells, creation spells, and how to create an earthquake.  
  
  
Richie had fallen asleep about twenty minutes ago (he wasn't used to waking up so early). Cordelia looked at her watch and got up, she took the books into Giles office, "I have to go, I'll try to be back before the end of the hour, the final should be easy. Richie's sleeping out there, if he wakes up and asks you where I am just tell him I'm taking the exam."  
  
Giles glanced up, "Oh, right. That's f-fine. I do wish to talk to you when you return though." He warned her.   
  
Cordelia nodded her head, and was on her way, having a feeling he wasn't going to be praising her, rather reprimanding her.   
  
  
  
b** 20 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia gave the shocked French teacher, who'd been her teacher last year (Cordelia had barely passed), her completed exam, which she'd breezed through. The teacher asked her to wait while she corrected the exam. Five minutes later the amazed teacher told Cordelia she'd passed with flying colors and that she could go.   
  
She slowly walked back to the library, worried that maybe she'd let to much out to Giles . . . no, there was no way he could suspect anything, but the other thing he could be upset about would be just as bad.   
  
  
Giles was a little surprised that Cordelia was back already, but he got down to business, "We must discuss this whole Richie thing."  
  
"And Adam I'm assuming." She sighed, "They both can keep secrets Giles. They are well versed in that area."  
  
"How long have you known these gentlemen Cordelia?"   
  
"I've known Richie for two months, Adam for only one, but we are all very close. They moved her from Paris with me, and they are staying with me until my parents come back from Switzerland. They bought a great mansion near me, and both just really want to help out."  
  
"How much have you informed them about things?" Giles asked worriedly.  
  
"Not much really. Adam has been fighting evil dudes for a long time. Actually he's a reformed bad guy!" Cordelia caught the look on Giles' face, "Seriously Giles, don't worry. They aren't going to tell anyone! Angel hasn't killed them, so you know they aren't vamps, plus you've seen Richie in sunlight. Angel's even talked to them. I'm not an airhead like everyone thinks. And I'm not gullible or stupid."   
  
Cordelia started yelling, waking up Richie in the other room, "They are the only people I've ever confirmed to that vampires and demons are real, because they trusted me with their secrets. I trust them with my life Giles! Give them a chance, because they're sticking around, whether you losers like it or not!" Cordelia grabbed the French spell book and the book she was writing them down in. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, then stormed out of the library, with Richie running after her.  
  
Cordelia couldn't help but wish as she walked out of the door that they would give her more credit.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** Soon after sunset at the library **/b  
  
  
Angel walked into the library and finds Giles alone in his office, "First day of school, right?" He questions, making his presence known.   
  
"Huh? Oh, hello Angel. Y-yes, today was the first day of school. They are all back form wherever they went to get away from this place."  
  
"Everyone back to work patrolling and stuff already?"  
  
"Yes, Buffy's on patrol with Xander and Willow went along too. There is something I n-need to speak with you about. Please, sit down."  
  
Angel raised his eyebrow, but sat down, then waits for the watcher to speak.   
  
"It's about Cordelia . . ." The watcher didn't notice the vampire sitting across from his desk tense at her name, "It seems she made some friends in Paris, and has told them about . . . well everything. Actually, I don't know what she's told them, and what they already knew."  
  
"You mean Adam and Richie?" Angel questioned, thinking about the two men that he'd seen Cordelia with the first night he saw her back.   
  
"Yes, so you have spoken with them."  
  
"A bit, they have an off smell about them, actually all three of them do. They seem perfectly normal, but Adam seems . . . older then he looks. But I know he's not a vampire, I heard his heartbeat . . ."  
  
"Sorcerers perhaps?" Giles suggested.   
  
"I don't know . . . other then that, they seem perfectly fine. I don't pick up any bad 'vibes', as Cordelia would put it."  
  
"Yes, plus there the matter of Cordelia herself. She seems . . . different."  
  
"How so?" Angel asked curious, his suspicions being confirmed that she'd been acting strangely.   
  
"Well, she's more helpful, considerate . . . I mean she brought back stuff for everyone, even me! She brought back s-so many t-texts, which were impossible to have. All of them one of a kind, and missing for hundreds of years. She shouldn't have those. Neither should have Richie's boss."  
  
"Don't worry about it, I'll look into them, if it makes you feel better." Angel offered that last part not to make Giles feel better, but for himself to feel better about Cordelia's two houseguests.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** The Chase mansion, Cordelia's bedroom **/b  
  
  
Cordelia punched in a long string of numbers then waited as the phone rang on the other end.  
  
"Duncan." Answered the other end.   
  
"Hey MacLeod, told you I'd call!" Cordelia greeted.   
  
"Cordelia! It's great to hear your voice. It's so strange around here without you."  
  
"I hope that means you miss me! Cause I actually miss you. Adam makes me get up at five am!"  
  
Duncan laughed, "Well at least he's taking care of you."  
  
"Yeah well I just know that as soon as my parents come home, he's still going to be calling me at five am to come over to his mansion to work out." She grumbled, "But I have to admit, this isn't just a social call. I need your help."  
  
"Of course, anything, what do you need?"  
  
"It's about Angel . . . the vampire with a soul? Well it seems that . . ." Cordelia launched into the curse story and tells him about the clause, " . . . so I need your help to, anchor his soul permanently." She left out the part about her being in love with Angel though, "I know that if anyone can find a spell or something to help him, you could. Even though your thousands of miles away"  
  
Duncan was touched by the story, "Tell ya what. I'm going to do you one better. I'll pack up all my books and come to Sunnydale to help you."  
  
"You will?!" Cordelia's ecstatic.   
  
"Yes, truthfully, I'm really coming to see you though. All my good friends have moved to Sunnydale, leaving me all alone."  
  
"The truth is revealed, you're a big softy. So, when are you gonna get your butt here MacLeod, I need to warn Adam and Richie when we have to stop having those wild three-ways."  
  
"A week. Hey, don't warn them! I was hoping to get in on the action." Duncan teased.  
  
Adam and Richie, who had been standing at the door, listening to Cordelia talk to Duncan on the speakerphone, gave each other looks.   
  
Adam walked in and gasped in mock horror, "Why didn't you say something then Duncan? We could have had some wild times in Paris!"  
  
"Yeah!" Richie agreed, playing along, "It could have been hot!"  
  
Cordelia smiled evilly, then exclaimed, "Adam, quit nibbling on my ear, you know what that does to me!" She pretended to moan, "Richie, at least wait till we hang up!"  
  
Duncan on the other end, way in Paris doesn't know what to think. They were joking right? . . . his mouth tried to form words, but couldn't.   
  
Richie got into it, "Ooh Cordy, I love it when you do that."  
  
"Hang up the damn phone!" Adam pretended to groan. "Ooh baby the things you do to me . . ."  
  
"Bye MacLeod." Cordelia pretended to get out breathlessly. Then she ended the call.   
  
They all burst out laughing and collapse on the bed in stitches.   
  
"I think he thought we were serious." Cordy laughed. "Adam, loved that last part," she lowered her voice doing a ridiculous impression, "Ooh baby the things you do to me. Passé, but funny."  
  
Then they all start laughing harder.  
  
Cordelia calmed down first, "I wish I could have seen his face . . . oh God, he'll be here in a week! He's gonna be like totally suspicious!"  
  
"Hey, you started it Cordy." Adam reminded her.  
  
"Yeah, we just went along with it." Richie agreed, nodding his head affirmatively.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Angel had arrived at the part in the conversation when the guy on the other end said that he'd come to Sunnydale. Missing the rest of it. He wasn't looking in the window, but he had heard the 'three-way' with his supernatural hearing. He was about to be sick (if vampires could get sick), when he heard them laughing, and realized that it was a prank. He breathed a sigh of relief, both because Cordelia wasn't having (gulp) sex, and because it looked like Richie and Adam were truly her friends, along with this, Duncan MacLeod fellow . . . that name sounded familiar though, very familiar. But where from . . . .  
  
Angel settled back in the tree, making the decision to make sure that everything was satisfactory with Cordelia before he left. Then he tried to remember where he'd heard that name before.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	4. Death and Masks

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You   
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 4  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Cordelia took a deep breath, before going into her father's study.   
  
Her parents were due back last night.  
  
She'd had a bad feeling all week, and no matter how morbid it had felt, a few day's ago she'd had her father change her legal guardian to Duncan before he stepped one foot out of his hotel room that day. He'd promised and had drawn up the papers and signed them that night. And had them filed, making everything legally air tight. Though a he had made her promise a thorough explanation who the hell Duncan MacLeod was, and why she wanted him to be her legal guardian before he'd got home. But he always did everything his little princess asked him too, and a request this odd wasn't as unusual as some of the other things she had asked for over the years, so he did so as she had requested.  
  
  
Now was the time to face the music, she just prayed the story she'd prepared would sound convincing enough that her father would believe it.   
  
Cautiously she opened the door and stuck her head in, it was dark, and very empty. The bad feeling she'd been having grew worse. She ran into her parent's room, flinging the door open.   
  
It was empty.  
  
The curtains were still drawn closed, every thing exactly as it had been after Carmen had prepared it the day before in anticipation of Cordelia's parents' arrival.   
She looked around more, and found her mother's medications weren't on the nightstand where they always were when her ailing mother was home.   
  
Theories raced though Cordelia's mind I'Where are they? They didn't come back. If they were going to be delayed they would have called me. Where could they -'/I  
  
The doorbell interrupted her thoughts. Cordelia raced down the grand staircase, surprisingly fast for someone in platforms, and opened the door to a graying man in a dark suit waiting with a younger dark haired man in Khakis, a dark blue shirt, a tie, and a sport coat.  
  
"Miss Cordelia Chase?" The younger one questioned.   
  
She silently nodded her head.   
  
"I'm Detective James Donner, this is my partner Detective Attkins." Detective Donner informed her, while they flashed their badges, "We really need to speak with you, about a very urgent matter."  
  
"Please, follow me." Cordelia swallowed the lump in her throat, and then led them into the living room, her heart pounding heavily in her chest, dreading anything that was about to come forth out of his mouth.   
  
"Miss Chase, there's been a . . . terrible incident . . . involving your parents, their chauffeur was forced out at gunpoint. Then the man who did this, posing as the chauffeur apparently, took them into the woods outside of town at gun point, and then proceeded to . . . I'm sorry Miss Chase, but I'm afraid they were murdered. Quite viciously at that, by some sick jerk."  
  
Cordelia's mind practically shut down, she put on a cold, calm, collected appearance, "When?"  
  
"Last night, someone found them this morning, and we can as soon as their bodies were managed to be identified." The gruff older detective answered this time.   
  
"Do you have any idea who did this?"  
  
"We suspect it's a copycat, of a serial killer whom ran rampant in 1828, in the San Francisco area. One of the most brutal killers of the time. The . . . um . . . well method in which your parents' murders were committed was identical to that of Jonathan Damians. Don't worry though Miss Chase, we'll catch him."  
  
In the back of her mind she cynically laughed at the idea of the Sunnydale police force actually solving this, but it didn't really register that she even thought this. Nothing does. Cordelia felt her mind shut down, and she went into autopilot. Later she didn't even remember leading the two gentlemen to the door, never uttering a single word.   
  
She closed it behind them, and then walked to the stairs. Cordelia bumped into a vase of flowers, but when the priceless vase fell to the floor, shattering, she just kept going, not even registering the fact that a shard of porcelain had reflected off the marble, and then sliced her leg, into her room, where after she locked the door behind her she curled up at her window, staring unseeingly at the cloudy sky, numb.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** School **  
** 5th hour **/b  
  
  
Everyone was sitting around, just waiting for something to happen so things would basically start.   
  
Buffy and Willow were talking about the math class they'd had together earlier, Richie was messing around with Buffy's training equipment, and Giles, was being Giles.  
  
Xander burst through the library doors, carrying the morning's newspaper, "Has anyone read today's newspaper? Or seen the news?"  
  
"Wow, Xander, you were reading the newspaper?" Richie asked amazed, "Isn't that a little advanced for you?" Picking on Xander was a trait he'd picked up from Cordelia, and he really enjoyed it.   
  
"Shut up." He turned to the other three, "Has anyone talked to Cordelia?"  
  
"Nope." Buffy answered walking over, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her yet today." She plucked the newspaper out of his hands, "Why?"  
  
Xander took back the newspaper and read aloud from the front page;  
  
IThe mutilated corpses of two of Sunnydale's most prestigious citizens were found in the woods outside of town early this morning. Jonathan and Virginia Chase were returning from the Switzerland vacation, which had kept them out of town for the past three months. They had just landed and were on their way home when an unknown man, who was impersonating as their driver took them to the woods, on the outskirts of town and brutally murdered them. Police refuse to give any statement on whether they have any idea on who committed this heinous crime. The Chases' leave behind their only child, and sole-heir or their vast estate, 16-year-old daughter Cordelia Hope Chase, a junior at Sunnydale High, whom was unavailable for comment.'/I  
  
  
"Oh shit." Richie mumbled jumping up and grabbing the keys to his new bike, "Giles, tell Coach there was a family emergency for me. Damn it, Cordy's all alone in that damn mansion, of all the mornings for Adam to be out of town . . ." then he was gone.  
  
"Poor Cordelia." Willow whimpered.   
  
"And she hadn't even seen her parents since the beginning of June. You know, I actually feel sorry for her." Xander lamented.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
b** Three hours later **/b  
  
  
The maid had let Richie in and reported to him that Cordelia had locked herself in her room at seven am that morning and she hadn't been out since. Cordelia also hadn't eaten all day.   
  
Richie pounded on her door every ten minutes for the first hour, begging her to unlock the door. He'd put it down to every 20 minutes, but still no response.   
  
Roseanne had brought Richie a chair to sit in, once it had become obvious that he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.   
  
  
  
b** Seven am **/b  
  
  
Roseanne let Duncan, who'd just come from the airport, in.  
  
"Señor Ryan is up waiting on Señora Chase. Such a horrible thing. No?" She asked him, leading him to Cordelia's room.   
  
"Shouldn't they be in school?" he questioned as he was hit with The Buzz.   
  
"Què? Señor, no one will be expecting her to come in." Then she spoke no more.   
  
Duncan was confused; so say the least, then surprised once more when he found Richie slumped in a chair, obviously asleep.  
  
Roseanne left, and then Duncan shook his protégé awake.  
  
Richie awoke with a start, "Oh, Duncan. It's you, man I was so tired I didn't even wake up when my sensors went off."  
  
"Clearly. Now what on earth this going on? The maid muttered something about a horrible thing . . ."  
  
"Oh God, Mac, it's like, really bad. A couple of days ago, Cordelia's parents were on their way home, finally, after not seeing Cordy in like three months. Someone impersonated their driver, and then killed her parents. At least that's what the newspaper said. From what Roseanne said, Cordy locked herself in the bedroom, after the detectives came and gave her the news, completely out of it. Like 24 hours ago. I've been trying to get her to open up the door since I got here yesterday, as soon as I heard, around 10 am." Richie took a deep breath, "Roseanne also said that Cordelia knocked over an expensive vase, accidentally. When it hit the floor, it shattered, and that Cordy didn't even flinch when apiece of it cut her, or seem to realize that she'd broken anything. She didn't do anything to stop the bleeding from the gash on her leg, courtesy of the glass."  
  
Duncan tried to comprehend what had happened, "Her parents were murdered?"  
  
"Yeah, and it was brutal."  
  
"So have you talked to her?"  
  
"Except for yelling through her locked door to open up, no."  
  
"Alright, why don't you go do whatever it is you do during the day . . . I'll take care of Cordelia, and call your cell phone as soon as I get a response."  
  
Richie sighed, then nodded his head, "Alright, I'll tell her friends what's up. And I know Adam will be here, as soon as he hears about what happened, but he's gone on business. He's not due back until Saturday."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Once Richie left, Duncan pounded on the door.  
  
"Cordelia? Its Duncan, let me in."  
  
No response.  
  
"Cordelia, if you don't let me in, I'm going to break the door down." He warned her.   
  
Still no response.   
  
"Fine. I'm busting down the door on the count of three, 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!" With that he kicked the door with all his might, not knocking it off the hinges, but opening it.  
  
Duncan cautiously entered the slowly brightening room.   
  
Cordelia sat at her window, just like the day before, staring at nothing.   
  
"Cordelia?" He questioned tentatively as he walked toward her.   
  
He squatted down in front of her, "Cordelia?" Looking at her glazed over eyes, gently he put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
Cordelia felt the hand on her shoulder, and slowly 'woke up', "Duncan."  
  
"Hey." Relieved to see the recognition in her eyes.   
  
Cordelia eyes filled up with tears, "They're gone Duncan, they're gone. I never saw them much, but they were my Mom and my Daddy. I hadn't even seen then in three months, now some manic took them away forever." She sobbed.   
  
Duncan immediately hugged her.   
  
"I had this bad feeling all week . . . I even had Daddy change my legal guardian to you, just in case, but I never warned him. I never even tried to tell them. God, if I had warned them they would be alive."  
  
"Cordelia, you don't know the that. They might have come anyway. Or probably something else bad would have happened, maybe something worse. Destiny, fate, what ever you want to call it warned you, but you can never know when to trust it and when not to. I know it hurts, and it probably will for a long time. But you can't blame yourself."  
  
"I just want them back . . . or I want the man who killed them to pay."  
  
Duncan could tell that she was out for blood, "Do you know who did it?"  
  
"Well the bonehead detectives said they suspected it was some copy cat of a serial killer . . . what's his name . . . something like Jon Denim or something."  
  
Duncan's blood ran cold, "Do you mean Jonathan Damians?"   
  
Cordelia nodded her head, yawning, for she hadn't slept in over 24 hours.   
  
"Damn, then it wasn't a copy cat. He's an immortal, like us. But don't worry about it, I'll take care of it."  
  
"An immortal?"  
  
"Yeah, and one of the very evil ones . . ."  
  
"Why would he do this? Why would he kill my parents?" She requested in an anguished voice.   
  
"I don't know, yet . . ." He noticed her tired eyes, "You need to get some sleep."  
  
"But I'm not tired, and I want to help you find him." She protested.   
  
"No, you are going to sleep. And I don't want an argument about this. You will change into your night-clothes, eat something, and you will get into bed and go to sleep."  
  
All Cordelia wanted was to make sure whoever had murdered her parents suffered for what he had done, but it was very obvious that Duncan wouldn't let her do anything for now.  
  
"I'll bring you up something to eat in a few seconds."  
  
"Fine."  
  
  
  
b** 15 minutes later **/b  
  
  
After making sure that Cordelia ate what he'd brought her, he'd closed her curtains against the bright sun.   
  
As soon as Cordelia's head touched the pillow, her exhaustion hit her full force, and she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep quickly.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Richie arrived at the library, looking exhausted.   
  
Everyone sat up, looking at him expectantly.  
  
"She's not doing well. Cordy locked herself in her room, yesterday. She hadn't eaten since then, or unlocked the door. Trust me, I spent most of the night trying to get her to open the door. If Mac hadn't shown up I'd still be asleep in a chair by her door." He flopped down in a chair and rubbed his face with his hands, "She's got to be a complete wreck, or in total shock."  
  
"Who are we talking about?" Angel questioned, emerging from the book stacks.  
  
"You haven't heard?" Buffy asked surprised.   
  
"I guess not."  
  
"Two days ago, Cordelia's parents bit the big one, met their maker, went towards the light, lost in the game of life . . ." Xander 'explained'.  
  
Giles cut the obnoxious teen off, "They were barbarically murdered."  
  
"Any signs that it as something that we need to take care of?" Angel inquired, trying to keep his mind off the fact that Cordelia would be in a lot of pain right now.   
  
"No, this time it was just a normal psychotic killer, who killed two very rich people, leaving all their valuables behind." Richie enlightened them.   
  
"I hope they catch him soon. It's terrifying to think some horrible person who likes to cut up people with long knives is out there." Willow shuddered.   
  
"I know. And since he's human . . ." Buffy trailed off.   
  
"Which reminds me, in light of these n-new development everyone will be p-pairing up. No more patrolling on your own Buffy. You and Angel will do your round together tonight. Xander, Willow, please just try to stay together, and keep an eye out f-for each other. Everyone remember to be v-very cautious, until this murder has been c-caught."  
  
"Alright Giles." Buffy humored her watcher, she was the slayer for Pete's sake, she was not afraid of some mere human. She kicked demon ass everyday.   
  
Angel nodded his head in agreement, "I'll pick you up at your house after the sun goes down."  
  
"'k, so Giles, got anything for us to do? As much as I hate the research scene, we really need something to do to keep our minds occupied." Buffy admitted.   
  
"God idea Buffy. Xander, you could go through some texts. Willow, you can do some of that research on that infernal machine. Buffy, we'll work on your training. And Angel, I'd completely forgotten, but I have some ancient texts in Gaelic I need you to translate if you would, when you have the chance. They are in my office. I'll go get them. It would really help us out."  
  
"Sure." Angel agreed, following Giles.   
  
Once in the office, Giles oddly closed the door behind them.   
  
[Those of you with sick minds, just stop it! I KNOW what you're thinking, and there is NO way on the Hellmouth I'd write a slasher! That's icky and gross. Not that I have anything against gay people, but I don't like those kind of fan fictions.]  
  
"I know this isn't the most appropriate time, but this, as you know, is the first time we've had a chance to discuss the matter we talked of earlier."  
  
Angel nodded his head understanding, "Of course. I did background checks on them. Richie's 27. He'd an orphan, from the wrong part of town. Used to get in a lot of trouble, then he just stopped, when he started working for Duncan MacLeod. He's the one that Richie calls Mac. Adam is 29, very successful, but it's not clear what he does. He doesn't have a record, but strangely he also doesn't have any medical information either, it's as if he's never seen a doctor. Both moved here from Paris, at the same time as Cordelia came back, on the same flight actually."  
  
"Hmm, interesting. What else?"  
  
"Well, from what I saw when they were living together . . ."  
  
"What?" Giles looked up sharply from the books he was putting before Angel.   
  
"Richie and Adam lived with Cordelia from the moment they got here from Paris, until a few days ago, when the two moved into their own mansion, which Adam had purchased, just down the street from Cordelia." Angel divulged.  
  
"But why on earth would her parents let her do this?" Giles questioned.   
  
"They probably didn't know." Angel admitted, "I was talking with Cordelia, one night when they were out, and she told me she hadn't wanted to be alone in the mansion for two weeks, so they were staying with her. Apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Chase were ok with letting their 16-year-old daughter fending for herself for two weeks." Angel told Giles disapprovingly, "Even with the high mortality rate in Sunnydale. Even the servants were given vacation time, so she would have been completely alone, unprotected, for two weeks if Richie and Adam hadn't stayed in the guestrooms."  
  
Giles stared at Angel, a little shocked at the hostility in the vampire's voice, and appalled at the actions of the Chases, "I don't wish to speak ill of the dead, but my God, how self involved were the girl's parents?"  
  
"Cordelia let it slip that they did this a lot, leaving her basically on her own. I don't think she really saw them all that much. The tone of her voice though . . . you could practically see the sadness when she told me how lonely it got there, alone all the time."  
  
"Isn't it strange that the girl the majority of people in this school envy the most, and all want to look and be like, is actually the loneliest. She seems so self-centered, like she doesn't really care too." Giles lamented.   
  
"We all have our masks." Angel told him, and then he took the books, left the office, and disappeared into the shadows.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	5. Jonathan Damians

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You   
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 5  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
b** Two days later **/b  
  
  
Adam ran in the Chase mansion getting hit with a major buzz, "Cordelia?!"  
  
He didn't really wait for an answer, then ran up the stairs and threw her bedroom door open, "Cordelia?"  
  
  
She was back at the window, she heard his voice and turned her head, "Adam!" she ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck. Adam hugged her tightly.   
  
"I came home as soon as I heard darling. How are you doing?" He asked.   
  
"I just can't believe their gone . . . they were murdered by another immortal."  
  
"What? Who?"  
  
"Mac told me, Jonathan Damians. The police think it's a copycat, but Mac says that he's an immortal, a very evil one." She informed him sniffing.   
  
"He is."  
  
"Have you met him?" Cordelia asked, walking downstairs with him.   
  
Adam sighed, then nodded his head, "I used to be his trainer, I taught him when he first found out he was an immortal, then about 200 years ago, he snapped. Jon became obsessed with being the last immortal, and believing that everyone else was below him. He started going after newbies, immies, and mortals. Literally leaving a path of slaughtered bodies behind him. It became a new game to him; killing more and then he started killing important people, seeing whom he could murder with out getting caught. He kills prominent citizen, then goes after even more people in the same town, then he moves on. I'm sorry to say, your parents are just the latest in a long line of murders."  
  
"But he's still here right? He hasn't killed his other victims yet." Cordelia questioned him, the wheels turning in her head.   
  
"Cordelia, don't even think about it. Mac and I will take care of it." Adam ordered her.  
  
"But . . ." Cordelia tried to protest, but was interrupted.   
  
"Cordelia, darling, you must understand, Jon is a very powerful and experience immortal. You are still new to this, and you've never even taken anyone's head. Now please, promise me, if you hear anything, you'll tell Dunc or me."  
  
"I . . ."  
  
"Promise me." Adam demanded.   
  
Cordelia nodded her head, "Alright, I promise." What Adam didn't see however, was Cordelia's hands, which had her fingers crossed behind her back.  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** Angel's apartment **/b  
  
  
Angel paced before his fireplace, his mind torn. He wanted to go help Cordelia, it was killing him to think she was in pain.   
  
She hadn't been to school all week, and no one had seen her, so he had no idea whether or not she was ok.   
  
Another part of him demanded to know why he was so concerned about her well-being. It wasn't like they were friends or anything, acquaintances at best . . . he wasn't supposed to worry about her so much . . . he wasn't allowed to.   
  
Angel growled in frustrations, then left the mansion slamming the door behind him, to pick up Buffy for another night of patrol.   
  
  
  
b** The graveyard **  
** Hours later **/b  
  
  
Angel and Buffy had dusted six vamps and they were about to move on, when they heard a struggle in the bushes.  
  
They nodded to each other, and one snuck up on both sides. Buffy jumped in and punched a guy holding some woman. The woman immediately ran off.   
  
The man fought back with Buffy with surprising strength. Angel came to the rescue, pulling the dude off Buffy.   
  
Punches, kicks, and insults were thrown between the three; it was obvious that the guy had been trying to do something. He pulled a knife and started expertly slashing at the slayer and the handsome vampire. He got Angel on the arm, and Buffy on the leg.   
  
Buffy grabbed him by his neck, and suddenly, there was a snap from his neck, and the man stopped struggling, and went limp. She dropped the body in shock.  
  
  
She backed away, looking at her hand, "Oh God . . . I killed someone! I killed somebody! Oh God, oh God, oh God . . ."  
  
Angel shook off his shock of seeing her kill someone, then grabbed Buffy's shoulders, "Buffy, it's ok, you did what you had to do."  
  
"Angel, I killed someone. I broke someone's neck! What kind of person snaps a guy's neck? I knew I was stronger then him, no matter how bad the guy was, he had no chance against me . . ."  
  
Angel took a look at the body and noticed something long under his trench coat. Carefully he opened it and pulled out a sword.   
  
"What's that?" Buffy asked, noticing Angel's find.  
  
"It appears to be a Katana, a Japanese sword."  
  
"Why would he be carrying a sword in this day in age." Buffy quiried calming down.  
  
"That is a good question."  
  
"To Giles?" Buffy suggested, still wringing her hands.  
  
"Yeah . . ."  
  
Buffy turned and started to the high school, Angel took one last look around, a quick last glance at the body, then followed her.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** The library **/b  
  
  
Giles was writing in his watcher's journal when Angel and Buffy came in, carrying a very old sword, and Buffy looking quite agitated.   
  
"Oh dear, what's happened?"  
  
"I killed someone." Buffy blurted out and quickly ran through what had happened.  
  
  
Giles listened carefully, and then gave his opinion, "Buffy, he obviously gave you no choice in the matter, you did what had to be done . . . . Now where did that beautiful sword come from."  
  
"I found it in his coat." Angel answered.   
  
Giles took the sword and examined it, "Oh my, I'm no expert, but this is at least a century old, and by the looks of it, it's used often, and recently . . . but that's all I can tell. I'll give this to Richie, his boss is a sword expert, he will be able to tell us more."  
  
"Ok, can I go home then? It's been a long night . . ." Buffy sighed.   
  
"Of course, Angel, see her home would you?"   
  
"Of course." Agreed Angel.   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** The graveyard **/b  
  
  
Jonathan Damians lungs filled with air once more. He stood up, cracked his stiff neck, and then shook himself out.  
  
"That bitch killed me! And she let my prey get away. She will pay for this." Jon reached for his sword, only to find it missing, "One of them stole my katana! I love that sword! I stole it from a victim 150 years ago! Damn it! For this, I will kill you both twice." Then he stalked off into the night, pissed as hell.   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** A few days later ** /b  
  
  
Buffy was walking down the street, on her way home from patrol, when she saw him . . . She stopped dead in her tracks.   
  
"Oh my . . ." She gasped, whispering to herself, "How is that possible, I snapped his neck, how the hell is he alive . . . of course that would explain why he was so strong. But what is he?"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	6. Revenge aka Cordy's Secret Revealed

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You  
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 6  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy burst into the library, obviously very disturbed, "I saw him on the street. He was alive."  
  
"What on earth are you talking about?" Giles questioned.  
  
"That man! It should be impossible, but I just saw the guy I know I killed last week. The one that was a mortal."  
  
"That's impossible Buffy." Angel stated. "He was human . . . wasn't he? He had to have been, he had a heart beat, and the blood he left was human too."  
  
"What did he look like?" Cordelia asked suddenly.  
  
Buffy gave her a look, but told her, "Um, curly blond hair, about 45 . . . goatee. Muscular build, dark cloths, and really alive."  
  
"Jonathan." Cordelia proclaimed in a hushed voice.   
  
"You know him?" Angel questioned.   
  
"No . . . not really. Just that you didn't kill him."  
  
"Do you know how I kill this 'demon'?" Buffy asked sarcastically.  
  
"You don't . . . he's human." Cordelia answered in the same tone.   
  
"How do you know?" Buffy demanded.  
  
"That's not important." Cordelia advised them darkly, "The fact remains, he's human. You'd have a really unfair advantage. People like that always gets what's coming to them though, so don't worry about it."  
  
  
Willow watched the dark haired girl with a lot of interest. Something was up.  
  
  
Everyone else just shrugged if off as something stemming from her parents deaths.  
  
Cordelia pretended to glance at her watch, "I have to go. Duncan will be wondering where I am." Cordelia picked up her purse, then left.   
  
  
Willow 'looked' at her watch too, "I'd better go too."  
  
"Do you need someone to walk you home?" Xander asked.   
  
"Um, ok."  
  
They left, Willow looked down both hallways, and spotted Cordelia's retreating form.  
  
"Come on, but be quiet." Willow ordered.   
  
Xander wondered what was up, but smartly stayed silent.  
  
  
They followed Cordelia to her locker, out of which the girl pulled her lightweight, black, trench coat, and the katana Duncan gave her.   
  
Willow and Xander's eyes grew large at the sight of the sheathed blade, but both remained silent.  
  
Cordelia put on the scabbard, then the trench coat, which successfully concealed the katana.  
  
  
  
b** 15 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia had been thinking for a few days about where to find Jonathan, and when Buffy had mentioned seeing him, it finally hit her where he would be. She quickly got the woods at the edge of town, close by to where her parents had fallen to their deaths. She felt the Buzz moments before she went into the clearing, where her parents had spent their final moments. Jonathan was there, looking around for the other immortal that had altered his senses, his sword drawn.   
  
Willow and Xander watched in amazement at the dense edge of the clearing.   
  
"Hello Jonathan." Cordelia greeted coldly.  
  
"I'm afraid I don't have the pleasure of knowing your name kitten."  
  
"Cordelia. Cordelia Chase."  
  
"Aha, so you are my first victim's only daughter. Aren't you a little young to be an immortal? You look as though you just graduated primary school."  
  
"Well, unfortunately, we don't get to choose when we die now do we. And sadly, I got mugged in Paris. I screamed, the mugger shot his gun, right through the lung too. Really an unpleasant way to die."  
  
"Poor baby. That must have really been just devastating for you."  
  
"I wouldn't say that, because now I'm an immortal, and I've made some great friends because of it." She tells him, circling, "Now I'm tired of talking. Can we get to the part where I kill you?" Cordelia asked, pulling out her katana.  
  
"Such impatience, young one. Obviously you're new at this."  
  
"Yep, in this case looks aren't deceiving. I was killed for the first time this June, and you're gonna be the first person I behead."  
  
"Your first? How sad, when I kill you there won't be much a quickening then." He answered, disappointed, starting to circle her as well.   
  
"Lets go baby." Cordelia prompted.  
  
The little fear Cordelia possessed, but didn't show, disappeared as her training took over. The clashing sound of metal against metal filled the air.   
  
Willow is fascinated at the graceful, yet deadly battle happening before her very eyes. Her mind still very much in Pandemonium, over some of the things that had been said. Immortal? Cordelia was dead . . . no, she still had a heartbeat but . . . By the Goddess this was confusing. Willow knew someone was going to die in this battle, and she also knew that even if Cordelia had come back before, this time, if Cordy fell, her friend would never rise again. Willows mind told her she should stop this fight to the finish, but her heart knew that it had to happen.   
  
  
Things seem to move like someone was pushing fast forward in a movie. Parry, parry, lunge, parry and such. Suddenly the man was on his knees, his sword out of reach, and Cordelia stood over him, her katana raised high.  
  
"This is for my parents, and all the other pain, grief, and anger you've caused! Besides, there can be only one." She declared, and then she severed his head from his body.  
  
Willow and Xander felt sick, she'd killed him! She'd chopped of his head. But nothing that they'd ever seen in their entire supernatural filled lives prepared them for what was about to happen.   
  
Lightning started flashing, hitting Cordelia, she screamed as things behind her exploded for no reason whatsoever. [See, told you it was cool to watch.] She dropped to her knees, absorbing the feelings of power and strength transferring to her for the first time.  
  
Then all was quiet.   
  
  
The two hidden in the dense underbrush were in shock for a moment, then they rushed to the girl, still on her knees.   
  
"Cordelia! Holy shit!" Xander cried.   
  
Cordelia looked up at the two in horror, "No, you're not here. You can't be here. Damn it! Oh God, you're here. Why the hell are you here?" She wiped off her blade in the grass, then sheathed it.  
  
"What on earth was that?" Willow asked, ignoring Cordelia's own query.   
  
"It's called a quickening. Something a mortal is never supposed to know about, let alone see one!" She informed them stalking away groaning.   
  
"What happened?" They asked following her.   
  
"Oh, I absorbed all his power and strength. And don't worry about Jonathan Damians anymore . . ." Cordelia looked back at them, calming down, "I can promise you never have to worry about him again. It's the only way to kill his kind and make sure they don't come back. You have to behead them."  
  
"How do you know that?" Xander inquired nosily.   
  
"You losers can never tell anyone about this. What you saw, what I told you, and what I'm about to tell you." She ordered fiercely.  
  
"Will you please tell us what's up?" Xander begged.  
  
"We won't tell! We promise!" Willow assured her.  
  
"God, they are going to kill me for this. You aren't supposed to know about us."  
Cordelia wailed again, forgetting what she was about to say.  
  
"You're one of those immortals I've read about in Giles books. I thought you were just legends." Willows eyes were wide.  
  
"You're supposed to this that." Cordelia lamented, "We're supposed to keep it secret from all but our own kind as much as possible."  
  
"How do you know your 'kind'?" Willow asked as they walk back through the woods.   
  
"Every time an immortal comes in the vicinity of another, there's this kind of Buzz that we feel until we see the other. It helps us identify our kind, as well as serve as a warning that another is near, because of The Game."  
  
"So the Game is real too?"  
  
"Well, that's the belief. Whether the end result is true or not is a MAJOR issue that I wish I was surer about. What you saw though is the end result of the beheading after the battle. We absorb the opponents strength and power."  
  
"That is so cool! And you'll never get old and wrinkly!"  
  
"I know!" Cordelia perked up, "And if I can keep my head, I'm going to live forever."  
  
"Maybe we should tell Buffy . . ." Xander suggested.   
  
Cordelia's voice tugged at them beseechingly, "Please, don't . . . never tell. Richie, Duncan, and Adam will tell everyone, if I die. But please, don't tell her. It's not like it would serve any purpose. I'm doing more now then anyone knows. I go out and take care of baddies every night. That man I just killed, he'd been a nutso-crazo killer for hundreds of years, killing the innocent, had known of my, or my friends, existence in town, he would have come after us. Besides, it's still all very new to me."  
  
"We won't tell Cordy, we promise . . . on one condition." Xander told her.  
  
Cordelia glared at him in shock, "You're making conditions on something that might mean my survival?" her eyes hardened.   
  
"Calm down!" Xander protested, "I just want you to train us in fighting. Willow and I are tired of standing on the sidelines and just getting in the way when we try to help."  
  
Cordelia's expression immediately softened, "Why didn't you just ask me then? If you want, you can join me for my training at the mansion, I just warn you, we start at 5:15 a.m., everyday. Except Saturdays and Sundays, then we start at 8:30, it was the only day I could get them to stretch on, because we train extra hours, because it's the weekend."  
  
Xander and Willow gave each other looks, their decision made, "We'll be there . . ."  
  
Cordelia smiled, "Ok, don't forget to wear stuff to work out in, and a change of clothes. From now on, you can take showers and change for school at my house. I'll set up a couple of guestrooms for you two. In fact, why don't you guys bring like a suitcase of clothes, that way you'll always have a wide selection to choose from to change into. Plus you still haven't met Adam or Duncan yet, I think you'll like them."  
  
"So, how old are they?" Willow asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.  
  
"Well, Richie's the youngest, he really is 26. Adam is, well, that's kind of a major secret, let's just say really old. And Duncan is The Highlander, and my teacher. He is over 400-years-old. He's the one who found me in Paris and taught me about our existence. Anyway, I'll drive you guys to school too, and you can eat breakfast with me, if you want . . . wait, it's still dark at five now, Adam will pick you up then." Cordelia rambled, creating the plans as she went on.   
  
Willow and Xander were surprised at her generosity, but only Willow knew that it was just that they were finally getting a look at the true Cordelia. The Cordy whom it seemed only very few ever saw, the few select people were allowed to see it cherished her. Willow was beginning to realize Cordelia Chase was a very complex person, who only let you see all her layers once you passed her test, and she truly trusted you. And she knew that this was a big honor.  
  
  
  
b** The next day, five am**  
** Xander's house **/b  
  
  
Xander waited at the window, actually, he was practically asleep, drooling, his face pressed up against the window, waiting for Adam.  
  
Xander total wished he was still asleep in bed right now, but if it meant being able to fight and help Buffy more, he was willing to give up a few hours of precious, wonderful, peaceful, heavenly sleep, in a soft, warm, safe, comfy bed.   
  
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway jolted him awake. He looked out and saw a huge Hum-vee. Richie stuck his head out the passenger window and waved to Xander, signaling that it was in fact them.   
  
Xander yawned, slung his huge duffel bag over his shoulder, grabbed a stake and a vial of holy water, and then was out the door.   
  
  
  
b** 20 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia, looking quite sleepy, finally stumbled down the stairs in her typical training gear, tear away pants, waist rolled down to her hips, and her black Nike sports bra.  
  
She mumbled her hellos to the two guests in the entryway.  
  
"Morning Cordelia." Willow greeted cheerfully.   
  
Cordelia just gave her the evil eye.   
  
"Not a morning person, huh?" Xander hissed to Richie.   
  
"Not even close." Duncan answered for him.   
  
Xander looked at the dark haired man, "Oh, hello."  
  
"I'm Duncan MacLeod, you must be Xander. Cordelia explained what happened, and we all want to thank you for keeping this quiet."  
  
"Yeah." Richie agreed, "And if keeping your mouth shut takes hours of intense grueling workouts, then so be it." he joked.   
  
"Oh lay off them Richie, they are just trying to be a bigger help to Buffy." Cordelia ordered, sipping her tea, which Adam had handed her.   
  
"Yes Cordy." He replied meekly.   
  
Then the newly formed group of training 'buddies' got down to work.  
  
  
  
b** Two weeks later **  
** Six am **/b  
  
  
"No!" Duncan called out, "Wrong again, your still jumping too late Xander." Duncan sighs, "Alright, Xander, why don't you go over to the other practice dummy with Richie, he'll help you."  
  
Xander nodded, then jogged to the other side of the room.   
  
  
Duncan MacLeod then went to another part of the very large room, which they'd converted into a gym, where Cordelia and Willow were perfecting the momentum and accuracy of their stake and knife throwing.   
  
Adam and Duncan stood back and watched as the deadly projectiles hit their mark on the 'bulls eye' 15 out of 16 times. Both were glad they weren't vampires, because with a flick of either girl's wrist, they would be dust.   
Xander wasn't quite as good at it, only nine times out of ten, but he had other abilities. He was a weapons expert, due to too many nights alone, and he could assemble, dissemble, arm, and fire practically any type of gun, grenade, bomb, etc. known, and some unknown, to man and demon alike. With the little group found a bit unnerving, but realized, in this town, it was smart to know all you can in defending yourself.   
  
  
Today Cordelia and Willow cut out early; saying that they had something very important to do.   
  
"Are you sure you want me to have him do this?" Cordelia asked, as her personal stylist held his scissors to Willow's long locks in the master bathroom, while Cordelia got her hair loosely permed.   
  
"Yes. I want a full makeover, including a haircut, and I'm gonna start wearing those clothes you bought me." Willow vowed.   
  
"Alright. Cut away Luca." She turned back to Willow, "This wouldn't have anything to do with that guy in school who has had his eye on you would it?"  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Willow protested blushing.  
  
"Yes you do. What's his name? Oz? In a band with Devon called The Dingo's Ate My Baby . . ." Cordelia prompted knowingly.  
  
Willow blushed deeper, "He's not even looked at me."  
  
"I have it from confirmed sources that he said he thinks you look really nice, in his own way. Apparently, he doesn't talk much. But he had mentioned you a time or two."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Cordelia nodded her head, then started flipping through her new copy of Cosmo.  
  
  
b** 30 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia, with a head full of long bouncy loose ringlets, and Willow, sporting a cute much shorter style (much like the one she had now), stood in front of Willow's guestroom closet. Together they decided on a gray and green plaid wrap around skirt, and a parsley green long-sleeve button-up shirt, unbuttoned over a white spaghetti strap shirt.  
  
They went to their separate rooms to dress.  
  
  
Cordelia put on a short black wrap around skirt herself, a tight crimson low-cut t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Plus a pair of black boots with one inch heals, which laced tightly up to her mid-calf.  
  
She was putting on her lipstick when someone knocked on the door, "Who is it?"  
  
"Willow."  
  
"Come in! Come in, I have to see how it worked out!"  
  
Willow stepped into the room slowly, wearing the a-fore mentioned outfit, and a pair of black combat boots.   
  
"You look great!" Cordelia exclaimed, "You could use a little makeup though . . . come here."  
  
Willow put herself in Cordelia's capable hands, and ten minutes later she was wearing pale green eye shadow, brown eyeliner and mascara, just a hint of pink blush, and a lipstick called Tender Heart. Willow smiled at her reflection, and she had to admit, she looked good. All the working out was starting to tone her body too, so she was very pleased with her over all appearance.   
  
The girls grabbed their backpacks, then descend the stairs. Laughing and talking like normal teenagers, though they were anything but, as they burst into the kitchen.   
  
Richie and Xander, who were sitting at the table eating, stopped mid-bite.   
  
Xander swallowed the food in his mouth, then let his jaw drop, as did Richie.   
  
"So?!" Cordelia demanded, spinning around, "How do we look?"  
  
"Wow." Xander uttered.   
  
"I second that, wow." Richie got out.   
  
Cordelia and Willow took what they could get and flashed brilliant smiles at the two.   
  
Just then Adam walked in. He looked both girls up and down, then kissed both their right hands, "You two look absolutely enchanting."  
  
Willow blushed deeply, and Cordelia gave him a kiss on the cheek.   
  
  
Only Xander could hear it, but he agreed completely with the words that Richie uttered next, "Damn, bested by the old guy again."  
  
  
  
b** 45 minutes later **  
** In front of school **/b  
  
  
Willow was very nervous.   
  
Cordelia gave her a pat on the back, "Prepare to enter popular society Will. Xander, please get the door."  
  
Cordelia and Willow held their heads high, then sauntered side by side down the hallway, enjoying the admiring looks they were getting. Willow could hear the whispers, and it took everything in her to keep from blushing.   
  
  
I"Hey, who's that hot chick with Cordelia?"  
  
"Aww man, what foxes!"  
  
"Isn't that . . . oh my God it is! That's Willow Rosenberg. She looks so, so . . . in style!"  
  
"Where did she get that awesome haircut?"/I  
  
  
Willow heard comments like that all morning. She agreed to wait for Cordelia at the end of 3rd hour, so they could talk more about what everyone said.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** 4th Hour **  
** Library **/b  
  
  
Xander jogged in, to find Buffy and Giles talking, but burst out talking himself anyway, "Have you guys seen Willow yet today? Or Cordelia for that matter?"  
  
"No, why?" Buffy questioned, "Has something happened?"  
  
"Oh, I'll say . . ."  
  
Just then Cordelia and Willow came in, intently discussing what Cordelia had heard about Oz.  
  
"Oh my gosh! Willow?" Buffy gasped, standing up abruptly, "I love your hair! It's perfect for you! And that outfit is to die for."  
  
"Thanks Buffy, I'm not to sure though . . ." Willow trailed off, ducking down her head.  
  
"Why on earth not?" Buffy asked.   
  
"Because 12 guys have hit on her already, and she'd gotten asked to the Halloween Bash by three guys . . . including OZ."  
  
Willow blushed like crazy.  
  
The girls sat down at a table, Cordelia and Buffy gossiping.  
  
"Willow, do you like Oz?"   
  
"He seems really nice." Willow admitted.   
  
"He is. Actually, he's been planning on asking her for a week now." Cordelia let them in on what she heard.   
  
"You said yes, right?!" Buffy demanded eagerly.  
  
"She was about to say no!" Cordelia answered for Willow, "Even though I know she likes him. So I told him to pick her up at my home at 6:30, the same time my date has been instructed to pick me up. Would you like to get ready with us?" Cordelia graciously offered.   
  
"Um, ok. I get the night off . . ."  
  
"You can ride with me and Eric, they say he's like an octopus with hands, so I could use a little back up . . . now the most important part, what are we going to wear?"  
  
"Well . . ." Buffy started, "I think Willow would make a wicked flapper."  
  
"Ooh, It's got a classic, but fun look to it!" Cordelia agreed.   
  
"Buffy could be an Indian princess or something." Willow suggested.   
  
"Sounds easy enough, what about you Cordelia? I can tell you've already got something in mind."  
  
"Well, I was thinking either Cleopatra, or Aphrodite."  
  
"A queen or a Goddess, why am I not surprised?" Xander questioned rhetorically, butting in.   
  
"Shut up Xander." All three girls snarled.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	7. Halloween Spiked Punch!

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You   
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 7  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
** Halloween **  
  
"Willow, Cordelia, Buffy, your dates are here!" Duncan called up the stairs.  
He turned to the three boys, dressed as Romeo, Hercules and a T-Bird (from Grease), waiting in the living room, "I'm sure it'll be just a moment."  
  
  
** Ten minutes later **  
  
  
"GIRLS!" Duncan called, getting impatient, and very uncomfortable.  
  
  
"We're coming! We're coming!" Buffy yelled back, "We're just putting on a finishing touches!"  
  
The finishing touches was a bag in which Buffy was putting stakes and crosses, which already secretly contained Cordelia's katana, and some knives that Willow had hidden in the bottom, just incase.  
  
The girls then made their entrance downstairs.   
  
  
Willow had ended up as the Indian Princess, Buffy had decided to go as Robin Hood, so she didn't look weird holding the bag, which was disguised as a quiver. Cordelia had chosen Aphrodite, so she looked a vision in the filmy pink material. [You know the outfit I'm talking about if you've ever watched Hercules or Xena]  
  
  
"I really think we were worth the wait, don't you?" Cordelia questioned Buffy after there were no complements.   
  
"Most definitely . . . I feel so . . . ignored!" Byfft agreed.   
  
Oz, the quiet guy with the Technicolor hair who was dressed as a T-Bird stood in front of Willow and quietly told her, "You look great."  
  
Willow blushed deeply, "You look nice too. I really like your costume."  
  
Eric took Cordelia's hand, bowed and kissed it, "I have never seen true beauty until this night."  
  
Cordelia smiled at him, "Why thank you, you make a wonderful Romeo. It was soooooo sweet of you to wear tights too."  
  
"There is nothing I wouldn't do, to please you my enchantress." Eric told her, bowing before her again.   
  
Buffy rolled her eyes, but when her date, 'Hercules' spoke to her, telling her, "You look amazing Buffy." She blushed.  
  
Byfft covered by flustered saying, "Shouldn't we get going? We don't want to be too late."  
  
"Yeah, let's party!" Cordelia agreed, "See ya tomorrow Mac, don't wait up!"  
  
  
  
** Much later that night **  
  
  
It was around 12:30 a.m. when two of the girls traipsed in, giggling. Buffy and Angel each were supporting one.   
  
Cordelia stumbled, then leaned against the wall, "Shhhhhhh, you have to be veeewwy quiet, Mac is slllleeeeeeeeeping." She hissed, then slid down to the floor giggling, because the 'buzz' she was getting because of the other immortal's proximity made her feel even funnier.   
  
Buffy and Angel looked at each other. Buffy shook her head, then sighed, "I'll take Willow, you . . . pick up Cordy."  
  
"Right, now what happened again?" Angel questioned.   
  
"The punch was spiked. I noticed right away, but by the time I found Cordelia, Willow and their dates, they were all plastered, giggling over Harmony who was passed out under the bleachers. I had Xander drive the guys home, and called you for help, because we ran out of vehicles, and I don't want to even think about how hard it would have been to get these two home alone."  
  
Angel picked Cordelia up.   
  
"Wheee!!!!" Cordelia squealed, then giggled, she turned to Buffy and told her in a serious voice, "Just so you know, Willow can sleep in the room three doors down from mine . . . with her clothes!"  
  
"Shhh Cordy!" Willow hissed, "Your intoc-intox-inc . . . your loopy . . . and you like talk more when you're full of punch!"  
  
"Ok!" She wrapped her arms around Angel's neck, "To my room James!" she ordered, then Cordelia burst out laughing again, and laid her head against Angel's shoulder, "To my room."  
  
  
Angel shifted uncomfortably, the close contact making him very uptight, he ignored the feelings in his heart, and carried Cordelia upstairs. She was too drunk to notice that Angel oddly knew where her bedroom was.  
  
He set her down on her bed sitting up.  
  
Cordelia cocked her head and looked at him, "Angel, is this your favorite holiday?"  
  
"No, actually, vampires and others things have parties to make fun of the day, because everyone's more guarded on Halloween, due to superstition. It's too dangerous for them to go out, so as soon as the sun goes down, they all go to secret location and party all night."  
  
Cordelia stood up and started jumping on the bed, taking off the outside part of her costume leaving her in only the pink embroidered bra and matching underwear, "I love Halloween! You get to dress up and pretend to be someone else!" She stopped jumping and suddenly frowned, and fell to her knees, "So for me, it's just like everyday of my life . . . always hiding who I am and how I feel . . . I have to hide what I am all the time, cause I'm not allowed to tell." She explained in a quiet voice.   
  
Angel had a feeling Cordelia was talking about more then just her not really being a snob, and stored it in the back of his mind.   
  
"Angel?" Cordelia asked in a small voice as he pulled back the covers of her bed.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What did you feel after the first time you killed someone, after you got your soul? I mean, you knew they were evil, but still, you killed them. . . . How did you deal with that?" Cordelia questioned and she curled up in the spot he'd uncovered for her.   
  
"I felt guilty." He honestly told her, "But at the same time, I'd known I had to do it. That if I hadn't of killed them, they would have killed lots more people, innocent people." Angel told her, tucking her in.  
  
"Does the bad feeling that it leaves in your soul go away?"  
  
Angel got suspicious, "Eventually . . . Cordelia, did something happen?"  
  
"Just some vengeance . . ." She motioned for him to come closed, "I wasn't supposed to do something that I did. Adam had made me promise, but I had both my fingers crossed behind my back!" She giggled again, showing him crossed fingers, then letting her arm fall above her head on the pillow.   
  
Angel couldn't control himself and he tuck a few curls that were on her face behind her ear and whispered, "Good-night Cordelia." As finality, trying to tell her it was time to go to sleep.   
  
"Night-night Angle, don't let those vampires on the balcony bite my neck please . . . and tell them it's rude to flash their fangs at a girl like that." She said, pointing to the balcony with her other hand  
  
Angel's head whipped around to her French door and saw there was in fact two vampires there, he took two stakes out and opened the door, quickly dusting them.   
  
"They're gone now Cordelia, they . . . um . . .just came to wish you a happy Halloween." He told her closing the doors and her curtains once more.   
  
"That's so sweet, we usually don't get vampires in this neighborhood . . . we usually kill them in the cemetery, right Angel?" She asked yawning, her eyes drooping.  
  
"Yes, Buffy and I find most vampires and demons in the cemetery."  
  
"Angel, will you lay down with me? I get scared in the dark alone on Halloween." Cordelia innocently asked, still very drunk.   
  
Angel silently groaned to himself . . . why did she have to do things like that.   
  
"Please." She pleaded pouting, "The sun doesn't even hit my bed ever. And it's just for tonight."  
  
Angel couldn't say no to her, no matter how much he knew he should not lay down next to her, he did anyway, for awhile. He'd just lain against the pillows when Cordelia laid her head against his chest and put her arm around his stomach. She sighed contented, and then quickly fell asleep, or just passed out. Angel wrapped his arms around her upper body, and closed his eyes.   
  
  
** Many hours later, a little while before dawn **  
  
Angel awoke, from the internal body clock, which alerted him of the approach of dawn, was upon him and the sun would soon arise. He slipped out of the bed and went to the French doors. He took one last look at Cordelia, who'd latched onto a pillow in his absence then slipped out the doors.   
  
Angel jumped from the balcony, and then ran off to his apartment, only just making it in the door before the first rays of sunlight rose over the horizon. The moment the door was closed he started banging his head against the door, "Stupid, stupid."   
  
Then he slunk into his room and stripped down to his boxers and crawled into bed, "How could I have been so stupid? I'm not supposed to do this kind of thing. I know I could lose my soul and leaving her sleeping on me is just tempting fate! But feeling her body heat against mine, her smooth skin underneath my fingers, her arm wrapped around my waist . . . it just felt, so right. But you can't unfair to her. You don't have a permanent soul, and I know just one kiss from her would cause such immense happiness in my heart that I would definitely turn into Angelus . . . . Oh, and because of Buffy . . ." the last added as an after thought.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
** The next day, 8:30 am **  
  
  
Duncan came into Cordelia's bedroom to find the young immortal clutching a pillow, in the underwear of her costume.   
  
"Up and at 'em Cordy." Duncan ordered her.   
  
Cordelia groaned, "Is it really necessary to be so loud, or be with in buzz range? Ooh, my head!"  
  
Just then Buffy came in, looking fresh as a daisy.   
  
"What happened to you?" Duncan asked Cordelia, not seeing Buffy.  
  
Buffy answered, knowing Cordelia most likely didn't remember, "Someone spiked the punch last night. Willow, Cordelia, Oz, and Eric all drank a whole lot of it. I brought back two very wasted girls."  
  
Cordelia put the pillow she was clutching over her face and muffledly begged, "Please, leave me to deal with this hangover, since committing suicide would be futile."   
  
Duncan rolled his eyes, and then left her in peace, knowing that when she was cranky, you did not want to mess with her if you valued a life without constant pain.   
  
Buffy followed him out, a little confused about Cordelia's last comment.   
  
  
  
** Hours later **  
  
  
Cordelia finally got dressed in a pair of sweatpants with the legs cut off, and a shirt from cheerleading camp, and trudged downstairs.   
  
She found Willow in the kitchen, head down on the table. Not speaking, Cordelia filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove which she'd turned it on, then joined Willow, keeping her head up by propping her elbow on the table and placing her head on her hand.   
  
The only sound was off the clock ticking. Several minutes later the kettle whistled, signaling its readiness. Cordelia shuffled to the cupboard, got up two cups and her tea. She made two cups, then went back to the table, giving one to Willow.  
  
Willow finally lifted her head, and smiled in thanks. Cordelia just slightly nodded her head, and then messaged her temples in pain. She got back up and soon returned with four extra strength Tylenol gel caps. Both took the pills, and then simultaneously let their heads fall on their left arm, which was resting on the table.   
  
`   
  
That was exactly how Duncan and Xander found them twenty minutes later.   
  
"Aww, the poor things." Xander quietly said, then he sat down between the two and rubbed their backs, "I heard you're the victims of a spiked beverage at the Bewitched Ball."  
  
"What gave it away? The comfortable clothes, the 'I feel like shit' look on our faces, or our heads that refused to be raised above this point?" Cordelia queried glowering.  
  
"Would you like me to kill you so it will go away?" Xander asked teasing her.  
  
"Would you, please?" Cordelia pleaded hopeful.   
  
"No, he won't." Duncan ordered, "How much punch did you have?"  
  
"Don't know, but we liked it, a lot. Everyone at the dance did. After five glasses, things get fuzzy. I'm thinking it was some Jack Daniels that was added, from the taste." Cordelia told them.   
  
"And how would you know young lady?" Duncan demanded of his young ward.  
  
"Oh come on Mac, get with the times. High school parties are full of alcohol . . . my father's office contains every expensive alcoholic beverage known to man. If you don't think I've gotten plastered before . . . you are very naive."  
  
Duncan raised his eyebrow then changed the subject, "You know, you and I have some research to do, remember? The stuff about the anchoring?"  
  
Cordelia raised her head, "Oh my God, you're right. It completely slipped my mind." She got up, thanking God the Tylenol was kicking in, "See ya later guys, you can watch some movies if you want on the DVD player. The movies are those disks on the shelf, they're all labeled. Duncan, I'm going to change, where do you want to meet?"  
  
"The library." He informed her.   
  
"Be down in like, 20 minutes."  
  
  
Cordelia ran upstairs and took a shower to clear her head, wishing she could remember the night before. She brushed out her hair, puts in some gel. Then quickly dressed in a pair of tight black leather pants and a crimson red shirt, and ties a black do-rag in her hair to keep her hair out of her face. She slipped on a pair of black platform strapy sandals, and then quickly went down stairs.   
  
  
** The Library **  
  
Cordelia walked into the two-story room to find the place transformed. It was completely updated, computers, huge screens, the walls which used to contain law texts and other boring things now held every text on demon lore, prophecies, mythology, spells, watcher journals and other things supernatural, known to man. Some books were hundreds of years old.   
  
Comfortable chairs, couches, and other things were all over the huge first floor, up the spiral stairs were more books, the weapons, and more chairs and things. Duncan had also added some high tech gadgets up there too.   
  
"Oh my gosh, this place is amazing! I'd always wondered what the heck was going on when we'd heard those noises through the ballroom doors." Cordelia gasped.   
  
Duncan turned to her, even though he'd been made aware of her arrival by the 'buzz' moments before, "Well, I thought if we were going to be doing this, I would bring all the books I always thought were legends, most of them are Adam's though."  
  
"This has to be the most complete collection of demonology and things known to man!"   
  
"Well, Mac's watcher Joe also stole some books from the Watcher headquarters." Adam called out from over the balcony in the second floor loft.  
  
"Cool! Now I do have those skills."  
  
"What skills?" Adam asked coming down.  
  
"Oh, just burglary. I can pick pockets, any lock, override security systems, crack safes . . . you know, stuff like that. How the hell do you think I used to get anything out of this house, or into this house after midnight."  
  
"Great, I'm training a junior Amanda who just hasn't started stealing things yet." Duncan groaned.   
  
"Who's Aman-da?" Cordelia asked in a sing-songy voice.   
  
"Never mind that. Where on earth did a rich girl . . . that isn't important. Let's get to work. I think Adam has found something."  
  
"I have, I found two spells, but we can only do one of them because with the other one, we need something that doesn't exist anymore. We can do the second one, but we need an atheme, and it will take a few hours. It's the only thing we don't have that's needed."  
  
"A wizard's dagger? Easy, Jack's Magicks Shoppe, three doors down from the Bronze." Cordelia chirped.   
  
"Get a couple of them." Adam instructed, "We really should all have one. It's one of the only ways to kill wizards."  
  
"I'll get as many as possible . . ." She walked over to the desk and flipped over the lamp, where there is a keypad and she punched in a code. A bookcase swung back and revealed a secret vault, which Duncan and Adam had had no knowledge of.  
  
"What the hell is in that?" Adam asked.   
  
"The Chase family jewels, gold bars, and a few million dollars in cash, which the government has no knowledge of existence. Plus the usual, documents, deeds to properties, blackmail material of most of the leaders of foreign counties, politicians in this one . . . the same things every socialite family keeps in their secret safes. The truth is, the legacy of the Chase family is a long line of very successful, rarely caught thieves. I mean, once we got rich about 200 years ago, our cover was secure. Who would suspect the richest family in town? My grandfather was the last true thief in a long illustrious line. My father passed on the lessons every Chase learns as a child, but he never committed burglary himself, at least not since his 20's. No, he preferred other illegal activities. Insider trading, over charging his clients, suing people to steal their money instead of just outright taking it. I have bank accounts in the Caribbean and Switzerland that hold more money then we'll ever need." Cordelia explained taking a stack of money, "My grandfather made sure that the Chase family would never have to work again . . . . Of course he didn't expect my cousin Derrick and me would be the last ones since his wife had four boys and a girl, but Uncle John and Uncle Bo never had children and died of heart attacks. Aunt Veruca blew her 22 million on eight divorces, 12 lovers, and stupid business ventures that left her broke at 47 and then she committed suicide in Beverly Hills. Anyway, Derrick is younger by one month, so he only gets 15 million, plus whatever Uncle Caleb leaves him when he dies. I got everything else, the net worth of the whole Chase estates is more then Bill Gates could dream of, but because most of it's secret, thought still legal, we're kept quiet. Just the way we like it. And now you know, so shhh!" She shoved some of the money in her purse, then gave Duncan the rest in her hand, "This should cover what it cost to do everything in here. See ya later!"  
  
  
** Jack's Magicks Shoppe **  
  
  
Cordelia walked up to Jack, "I need to see all your athemes."  
  
"I'm not sure we carry that item Miss . . ." Jack, the handsome owner told her.   
  
"Please, don't give me that bullshit. I have a nasty hangover and you will show me your athemes now or I will kick your ass."   
  
Jack smiled at her condescendingly, "What are you, 15?"   
  
Cordelia grabbed his shirt lapels and slammed him into a wall, "NOW!" then she dropped him.   
  
"Alright! Alright! They're in the room behind the love potions, push the 3rd black tiles from the left."  
  
Cordelia smiled at him kindly, "Thank you!"  
  
Cordelia opened the door to the hidden room and she was in heaven. She got the necessities first, she chose 10 beautiful athemes, then went around looking. She chose a few staffs, two enchanted swords that would only work properly for the use of good, six crossbows with wood and silver arrows. A couple axes, and a couple of orbs that could come in handy some day. And she got a couple pounds of all the ingredients for spells that he had.   
  
Jack followed closely behind packaging all the items she wished for. He nearly had a heart attack at his young age when he paid him in cash, with a $1,000 tip to never tell anyone who had bought all his stuff. Plus they made an agreement to keep her notified of all shipments of weapons, rare books, and real potions, none of the shit he sold to everyone else.  
He knew that he'd just found a new regular customer who would keep him in business for the rest of his life if he treated her politely.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	8. Birthday Suprises and Chicken Soup for t...

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
This I Promise You  
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 8  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
b** The Chase mansion **/b  
  
  
Adam was helping Xander with some back flips when his cell rang. He answered it, said a few yes's, and told the person he'd be right there.  
  
"Mac, Cordy needs some help. She went a little wild at the store I'm guessing." Adam informed his fellow immortal who was helping Richie teach Willow blocking.   
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Her car, the bags are too heavy, and her hands are full." Adam turned to their pupils, "We'll be right back."  
  
  
They returned five minutes later, laden down with packages, Cordelia only holding one bag. She led them to the library door and opened them.   
  
"Everybody in." She ordered, "Including Richie."  
  
Everyone, except Duncan, Adam, and Cordelia, walk in, were shocked at the sight.   
  
"Welcome to our slaying central." Cordelia proclaimed, "Follow me."  
  
As they walked up the spiral staircase Willow found her voice, "This place is amazing."  
  
Cordelia smiled and nodded, then led them to the tables in front of the weapons, and had Duncan and Adam set their bags down there.   
  
"First off," Cordelia started, "Is what I was sent to by, anthems." She pulled out 10 beautifully carved, and some jewel encrusted daggers, the handles made of gold, silver, and bronze, "Everyone is to wear one in there boot at all times, as a safety precaution."   
  
She handed one out to everyone. Willow's was gold with a large emerald on both sides of the bottom of the handle. Xander's was bronze, with animals carved into the handle. Duncan was given a gold one also, his had Scottish symbols all over it. Adam's was of the same metal with an intricate pattern on the blade and handle. Richie's was bronze, and had sapphires and rubies on the handle. Cordelia's was beautiful, a silver anthem, with an ivy design along the handle and blade, and Peridots in the shape of a star at the end of the handle. Of the other four, one was silver, and had Celtic designs engraved in the handle, with sapphires and peridots on it too. Another was light gold with diamonds on the hilt. The third was bronze with a plainish design, and the last was gold too, with an odd design and emeralds on it.   
  
"Wow, these are beautiful Cordelia!" Willow gasped.   
  
Duncan examined them, "This must have cost hundreds each, and they're all made out of the purest elements."  
  
"Wizard anthems usually are." Adam told Duncan.   
  
Cordelia gave everyone a hilt so they could put the daggers in their boots.   
  
"So, what else have you bought?" Richie asked, pulling his pant leg down.   
  
She pulled out the swords first, "These swords, are enchanted, so they can only be used by those in the pursuit of good, not evil." She placed them on hooks on the wall. Then she pulled out the staffs, "These are for basics, and the carved ones are for use against mythological creature. I'll explain when we actually need to use them."   
Next she pulled out the crossbows and arrows, "Keep these in your bags or something. Bring them whenever you go out after dark. The silver ones you'll only need on the nights of the full moon. " She instructed, handing them out, giving everyone a load of arrows to everyone, half wood, half silver.   
  
"Although you did stray from the list, you did a great job Cordelia." Duncan commended her, "We're definitely ready for anything now."  
  
"I also got Willow every kind of ingredient for a spell she could possibly ever need. We'll just keep these in the alcove." Cordelia told her, putting the bags in a little room off to the right, still on the second floor, "But for now, it's after four, and I have a feeling your parents will be worrying about you."  
  
Xander's eyes got wide, "You're right, we've got to get going." He signaled his eyes to Willow and Richie, "Richie, you promised you'd drive us in Adam's car, remember?"  
  
Richie nodded his head, "Oh right . . . Cordelia, you said we'd go see a movie around six right?"  
  
Cordelia smiled and nodded, "I'll meet you there."  
  
  
  
b** Many hours later **/b  
  
  
Cordelia and Richie laughed as they walked back through the front door of the mansion. Cordelia nearly had a heart attack when practically the whole school jumped out calling, "SURPRISE!"  
  
"Oh my God! I completely forgot it was my birthday tomorrow!" She exclaimed.  
  
Harmony came up and gave her a hug, "Oh you silly thing! How could you possibly forget your own birthday?"  
  
Cordelia smiled at her fakely, "Well, I've had a lot on my mind lately."  
  
Harmony and the Cordetts smiled at her sympathetically, and gave her their 'apologies' for not being more caring.   
  
Cordelia got lost in a crowd of well-wishers as the live band, The Dingo Ate My Baby, played in the background.   
  
It wasn't until an hour later she finally got to Willow, Xander, and Richie. She gave each of them a hug and thanked them.  
  
"Guys, you have no idea how much this means to me, especially since you invited my friends, even though you hate them, as much as they hate you. And the fact that you remember my birthday . . . it's really sweet."  
  
Willow blushed, "Oh, it's just something any real friend would do."  
  
Xander nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah, besides, I'd never miss an opportunity for free food!"  
  
  
b** Around one am **/b  
  
  
Cake had been eaten, presents open, and everyone, but Richie and Adam, had gone home.  
  
Now the four immortals were in the middle of the long clean up. They were going room to room cleaning up. They all finally ended up in the library.   
  
Adam was picking up the packages from Cordelia's shopping venture earlier that day, when he noticed one of the bags was heavier then the rest.   
  
"Cordelia, I believe there's something still in here!" He told her, placing the bag in front of her.   
  
Cordelia reached into the bag and pulled out the orbs, "Oh yeah! The orbs, these things will come in handy. The blue one will light up if someone's not telling the truth. And the red one will light up if someone's plotting against you. The last one . . . well it was pretty!" She whined.   
  
Adam picked it up and examined it, "Cordelia, you really have no idea what this is for?" He demanded.   
  
"No, why?" Cordelia asked.   
  
"This orb . . . it contains the power to anchor Angel's soul. It's the first spell I was telling you about. But this isn't supposed to exist anymore. Supposedly it was destroyed 400 years ago."  
  
Cordelia's eyes grew wide, "This will make Angel's soul permanent? I swear, if you're just jerking me around, I will cut off your head, no matter how good a friend you are."  
  
"I swear, it's right here." Adam pulled out a book and placed it in front of her.   
  
Cordelia quickly skimmed over the text and murmured, "You're not kidding, I can make it permanent, I can give him the one thing he needs to be happy." She looked up and around the table, "You guys can go to bed, I'm going to stay up and read into this further."  
  
  
Duncan knew what she would be doing that night, but he couldn't stop her, he didn't have the heart to. He knew she was in love with the vampire, and that she knew that the vampire didn't love her back. It was her way to feel better, by making him happy. He rubbed her back, then went down the spiral stairs, and to bed.   
  
  
  
Adam and Richie followed his lead, and left, both taking one look back at the girl who was intently reading the passage. Then they drove home to their own mansion, where they wouldn't sleep all night, fore they would be too busy worrying about their friend, who they knew was going to do something completely selfless that night.   
  
  
Cordelia read the passage, and realized Adam hadn't translated it completely, he'd just seen they'd need the orb and stopped reading. But she read the whole thing, and knew what she'd have to do. She set up seven candles, in a horseshoe around the orb, and a bowl for the ingredients she'd need. Red, white, yellow, and pink rose petals, the nectar of a lily of the valley. She lit the candles and started chanting the ancient incantation..   
  
Then candles flames rose higher and higher as she chanted, and the orb began to glow and rise in the air as she added the final ingredient to the bowl, the life's blood of a person who was in love with the individual who's soul was being anchored. She slit her wrists with the anthem she'd bought that day, but couldn't watch her blood pour into the bowl; her eyes were focused on the orb. Which had risen high in the air. A supernatural wind was whipping around the whole room, yet the candles stay lit. The blood loss was too much, and finally she passed out on the table, her wrists still on top of the bowl, draining her of her essence as she died once more.   
  
  
The windows flew open, and the wind blew out of the room, taking the essence of her being with it. It blew un-naturally throughout Sunnydale, following a set path it was given, until finally it slipped in through a window of Angel's apartment.   
  
  
Angel was asleep in his bed, dreaming, and didn't see the strong wind whip through his apartment then cause his body to lift off his bed as it enveloped him. But a spirit entered his dream . . .  
  
  
bI** Angel's dream **/b  
  
Angel was in a room, fully clothed, shirt unbuttoned. He whipped head around calling out, "Where am I? What's going on?"  
  
A little girl's voice answered, "You are here, and you have been given a tremendous gift."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Your soul, it is anchored, the curses clause is void." A little girl came out of the light and told him, "Someone who truly loves you gave up her life for you, but do not be afraid, fore she has many lives, a young immortal is she, and will awaken again. But their sacrifice means just as much, for she thinks that you will never return that love, and she just wanted you to be happy with the one she thought you were destined to be with. She does not see that in truth, your destinies are enter-twined throughout eternity, and always have been. For you have been soul mates since time began. But none the less, she thinks she has given up something very precious for you, her one chance at happiness, and for that, the anchoring was completed."  
  
"Cordelia." Angel whispered realizing that was her secret, she was immortal. Everything was making sense.  
  
The girl nodded, "Yes, she loves you very much, and you love her as well, if you'd only tell her soon enough, so much heartache could be spared . . . but alas, you will awaken with only the certain knowledge that your soul is permanent. Everything else will be forgotten, all that had been revealed will be a mystery once more, and your fate will continue as if you had never found out."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Because, Fate is a temperamental thing, and messing with her plan always makes her very angry, and upsets her scenes she writes long in advance. We mustn't disturb her plan, but do not fear, everything will turn out . . . unless she changes her mind . . ." then the girl disappeared.  
  
b** End of Angel's dream **/b/I  
  
  
Angel woke up with a start, the rest of his dream was too foggy to remember, but he did know one thing, his soul was no longer in danger of being lost. It was permanent!  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Cordelia woke again with a start, and looked quickly at her wrists, there was no trace of what she'd done the night before, except for the mess before her. She blew out the candles, which were practically all gone, and put them away, she carefully put the bowl in a special place, but the orb she took with her after she cleaned up.   
  
  
Next to her bed, there was a silver holder for a candleholder. She took out the candleholder, and placed the orb in it. It looked like just another trinket in her bedroom. She knew no one would ever think to look there. Cordelia changed into her negligée, then climbed into bed, to dream of Angel, just as she did every night, and would do every night of her immortal life . . .  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	9. Another Death Another Dollar

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You   
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 9  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
b** The next day ** /b  
  
  
Duncan, Adam, and Richie all agreed to let Cordelia sleep in again this morning, under the guise to Willow and Xander that it was just because it was her birthday.  
  
The three immortals weren't in the mood for a work out, so after Ti-chi, everybody decided to just go into the library and do their own thing.   
  
Duncan sat at the big desk, haggling with someone over the purchase of a building on Main Street in which to sell antiques.   
  
Adam was on his cell phone, yelling at someone in Japanese (which was one of the thousands of languages he spoke.)  
  
Richie and Xander were messing with the new computer system, which made fake scenarios. It was a lot like a computer game, and right then two were arguing whether they should or shouldn't use Uzi's against a hairy creature that was stalking the 'towns people'. Richie, who'd been trained by Duncan, preferred using swords and more traditional methods. Xander, the groups' weapons expert knew that it was best to really make sure they were dead, in other words, kill them a lot. Xander gave up arguing, and just hit the button to do what Ihe/I wanted in the program. Two minutes later the monster was destroyed, and Richie was glaring at a very happy Xander.   
  
Willow was working on her alchemy, practicing a spell on levitation.   
  
She pointed at a staff, and in a firm voice said, "Levit."   
  
The staff floated in the air.  
  
"Meus motus." She ordered, (Imy movement/I) then moving as if she had the staff in her hands, she fought with it.   
  
The staff moving with some un-seeable force, mimicking her.  
  
"Cum meus imperare." (IWith my command/I)  
  
Then Willow shot the staff around the room with just a flick of her finger. Everyone ducked just in the nick of time . . . except for poor Richie, who had his head turned and hadn't believed Xander when he yelled, "DUCK!"  
  
Everyone stood there with their mouths hanging open.   
  
Duncan gapped for a second, then quietly told the guy on the other end, "It's a deal . . . my lawyer will call you in the morning." Then he hung up.   
  
Adam had to keep himself from laughing, and quickly said, "Sayonara!" then hung up.   
  
Xander looked down at his fallen mate and couldn't believe it.   
  
Willow on the other hand shrieked, then let her concentration drop, as did the staff, and everyone was positive it was safe to move now, and ran to his side.  
  
"Oh Richie! My God . . . I am so sorry!" She leaned over his inert form and looked at everyone else, "I wasn't paying attention! I was just so excited that it worked . . ."  
  
"Don't worry." Adam reassured her, "Richie's got a really hard head." He kneeled over the youth and slapped him on both cheeks, "Richie, Richie. Ryan, wake up you dolt!"  
  
Richie's eyes fluttered and he looks up eyes unfocused looking at Adam, "Mommy?"   
  
"Not even close." Duncan informed him, then held up two fingers in front of his face, "How many finger am I showing?"  
  
"Uh . . . six?" he guessed.   
  
"Mac, he wouldn't know that in the first place." Adam cracked.   
  
"Fuck you Adam." Richie growled.   
  
"I knew you'd be ok!" Adam declared, reaching down, grabbing Richie's hand and pulling him up.   
  
Richie was unsteady on his feet.   
  
"Willow, take Richie to the kitchen and get him an ice pack. He'll be fine soon due to our bodies advanced healing capabilities, but he'll be a little dazed for awhile." Duncan told her.   
  
Willow nodded, then helped Richie walk out of the library, apologizing the whole way.   
  
  
Duncan, Adam, and Xander stood there for a moment until Xander pointed out the good side.   
  
"Well, at least Willow's getting a handle on her magic!"  
  
Adam nodded, and then seriously advised, "Maybe we should turn the other room on the left side of the loft into a first aid center. I'm getting the feeling we're going to need one."  
  
"Good idea. Especially since Willow and Xander here don't have our healing capabilities." Duncan agreed.   
  
"Hey!" Xander protested, "It's not like you don't need to get taped up for a day of two sometimes when you get serious injuries, like broken ribs, deep cuts and things."  
  
"You're right, you're right. We should have done it when we remodeled, but it just slipped out minds."  
  
Xander shrugged, and then went back to the computer. Duncan and Adam realized they had a chance to have a hushed conversation.   
  
"Do you think she did the spell last night?" Duncan asked.   
  
"Yeah, I cam over early this morning. The window had been blown open, and papers were scattered all over the room." Adam informed him.  
  
Duncan raised his eye browns, "What exactly did the spell require?"   
  
"I'm not sure." Adam admitted, "I only read up to the part where we needed the orb, then I stopped because I thought it was impossible . . ."  
  
"I just hope it wasn't too difficult . . ."  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** Angel's apartment **/b  
  
  
Angel had thrown on a pair of pants and black shirt, but hadn't bothered to button it.  
  
He could feel the difference, the way Angelus was under near complete control. No longer did the demon whisper in his ear constantly, telling him to kill the innocent, and drain the life from someone one he came in contact with. And the fear that had encompassed him since he found out he could lose his soul had finally lifted.   
  
Angel drank down a pint of heated human blood, and felt the borrowed blood race through his veins. The blood had been very fresh, and the essence of life was still in the blood. He knew his demon visage was showing, but for the first time in nearly 100 years, it didn't bother him. The demon's hold on his soul had nearly completely been relinquished, he had control . . . and it felt great.   
  
The only think weight on his soul now was, what did he do? Was it Cordelia he wanted, or Buffy . . .  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** One week later ** /b  
  
Buffy was patrolling a remote part of the cemetery when she over heard some voices . . .  
  
I"Where are we supposed to meet Eric?"  
  
"For the thousandth time, the park, near the cliffs. God, what are you, 196? Act your age, for pity sake, I've never met such a stupid 384 year old."  
  
"Shove it Andy . . . why are we meeting so late?"  
  
"He's got another date with the head cheerleader, you know, his bCordelia/b. I wonder what she would say if she saw his real body . . ."  
  
"I don't care. Because of his dating, we haven't been able to kill nearly enough for the sacrifice tomorrow!"  
  
"I know . . .but as the oldest, he's in charge."/I  
  
  
Buffy couldn't believe her ears, she got a quick look at the demons, then ran in the other direction, straight to the library.   
  
  
b** One hour later **  
** By the cliff **/b  
  
"Eric's really a WHAT?!" Cordelia demanded, having just come back from a date with him in which she'd let him feel her up.   
  
"A Kroglin demon. Extremely strong, with LOTS of tentacles." Buffy notified them, remembering the description Giles had just given her earlier before, "I have to stab it in the black part of his abdomen, or get it in the heart, which is oddly on his far right side. He's skins' really thick, and a stake just ain't gonna cut it. What do we have? There are three of them, we're gonna need a lot."  
  
Willow pulled a hidden bag from Oz's van that the trio had hidden there earlier that night. She opened it and gave Cordelia her knife sash, and put hers on as well. Then she gave Buffy the extra sash they had brought. Willow then handed Xander his special glocks, which he expertly checked. She pulled out Xander's shoulder holsters, and his special vest, which was filled with other ammo.  
Willow pulled out two more glocks, she looks at them closely, then handed one to Cordelia. They both shove them in the back of their pants. Finally Willow handed Cordelia her sheathed Dragons-Head Katana.   
Giles, Buffy, and Oz are shocked at the actions of the three, and to the extent that they were armed.   
Cordelia, Xander, and Willow knew that this was going to be a major shock for the others, but it was no time to hide what they knew how to do.   
  
"Where the hell did you guys gets those, and what do you plan on doing with them?!" Buffy demanded.   
  
"Well, it all depends on the weapon. Everything came from Cordy's, but each one has it's own special cupboard." Xander explained, handing out crossbows to everyone.  
  
"What do you plan on doing with them?"  
  
"Again, it all depends on the weapon Giles, you know that. Crossbows and guns shoot, the knives and stakes are thrown really accurately by those two" he jerked his head at Willow and Cordelia, "and pretty accurately by me. The katana will be swung around or whatever expertly by Cordy, and the rest of my things involve pulling a pin, throwing, then diving for cover." Xander explained as they approach 'Eric' and his 'buddies', who had been joined by ten vampires.   
  
Xander kneeled on the ground and pulled out eight stakes, and handed four to both of his training friends. Before even Buffy can react, the two had stuffed two stakes in their belts, and throw the other two, in synchronization, dusting two vamps each, then they all attacked.   
  
Buffy got to work on one of the demons, while everyone else dusted the rest of the vamps quickly. Then everyone started in on the big uglies.   
  
  
  
Everyone was fighting with all they had . . . although truthfully they were all completely worn out, and the only thing that was keeping them going was adrenaline.   
  
  
Cordelia launched herself at the last demon, stabbing it in the heart. With it's last moments of strength, it picked her up and tossed her over the edge of the cliff.   
  
"Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!" Buffy's scream pierced the night, which had gone completely silent.   
  
"CORDELIA!" Giles yelled, running to the edge and looking down.  
  
Xander, Willow, and Oz just stand there, starring as the wind whipped around their frozen bodies, all in shock.   
  
Everyone then was silent, until Xander and Willow snapped out of it and silently went around checking everyone for injuries, as Duncan had taught them. The worst was a gash on Xander's forehead, which Willow took care of.  
  
"We're going to have to call Duncan or Adam." Willow told Xander in a hushed voice, "Buffy's gonna be so mad at us too."  
  
"We were just keeping a secret, it's what Cordelia wanted, it's what she begged us to do. And if Cordelia Chase begs for something, you know it's got to be important. Queen C would never beg, unless it was life or death."  
  
"But everyone's so sad . . ." Willow finished with the tape.   
  
"Just think of how happy they'll be when they find out she's alive." Xander tried to comfort her.   
  
Oz came up to them and they stop talking about it.  
  
"Are you alright?" Oz asked Willow, cutely concerned.   
  
"Oh I'm alright." Xander answered, "A bit of a headache . . ."  
  
Oz gave him a look and Xander shut up. He turned his attention back to Willow, "Are you?"  
  
"Me? Oh I'm fine, the picture of health. Fit as a fiddle. Thanks for your help."  
  
"Well, I didn't want you to get hurt."  
  
Willow blushed.   
  
Oz looked at her regretfully, "Listen, about your friend . . ."  
  
"Thanks." Xander interrupted him quickly, "I know someone caring wi-would mean a lot to Cordelia." Xander turned to Willow, "I'll go call the guys. Tell Buffy to have everyone meet at the library by 1:30." Then he ran off.   
  
Willow looked around for Buffy, but the slayer was already gone.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	10. Truths and Joinings

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
This I Promise You   
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 10  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
b** Bottom of the chasm **/b  
  
Cordelia awoke suddenly, breathing in the much-needed oxygen.  
  
"God, I hate it when I die . . . damn it! This was definitely the worst."  
  
She looked at the cliff, and finally found what she was looking for, the rope. Xander had sent down for her, with her survival pack tied to it. Cordelia pulled out her climbing gloves, finally all that rope climbing in the gym was going to come in handy. She secured the backpack on, using all the clips to make sure it would stay in place, and then she started to scale the cliff-side.   
  
  
b** 15 minutes later **/b  
  
Cordelia's muscles ached as she pulled herself over the edge. Finally, she was at the top. She lay on her stomach for a moment, breathing heavily, but knew she had to press on. Cordelia stood up and looked herself over, very upset. She'd just died, again, her nails were ruined, she was dirty, and she didn't even want to think about her hair.   
  
Before she went back, she'd have to clean up, there was a hot spring (convenient, huh?) near by, surrounded by trees (hmm, yet another strange convenience) so she washed off, taking a quick dip. Cordelia pulled her towel out of the pack and quickly dried off, then wrapped up her wet hair. The pack had been created for just this type of situation, so also inside was a pair of black clam diggers, a tight light blue v-neck t-shirt, plus a small bag of hair stuff and make-up. Cordelia brushed out her long dark hair, before the curls set in, and tied it back with her dew rag. A light application of makeup, and she packed up. She shoved her feet into her shoes, then was on her long way.   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Angel was on his own patrol in the cemetery when he heard someone crying.   
  
Nearby, he found the Slayer sitting on an aboveground memorial tomb, holding her knees to her chest, sobbing.   
  
"Buffy."  
  
She looked up, tears running down her face, "Oh Angel."  
  
"What happened?" He asked concerned.   
  
"She was killed, a few hours ago . . . it wasn't even Cordelia's fight, and now she's dead."   
  
"What do you mean she's dead?" Angel demanded, if he had a heart that beat, it would have stopped.   
  
"I hadn't expected her to fight . . . Willow, Xander, and Cordelia had been training though. They could throw knives and stakes with deadly accuracy, they knew martial arts, how to fire guns . . . Xander was a regular firearms expert. Cordelia fought with a sword, very agilely. All in perfect movement, so in unity with each other. They'd obviously been training for a long time. We'd destroyed all the demons, and vampires, except for one. Cordelia took a dagger and launched herself at it. Stabbing it fatally." Tears streamed down Buffy's face.  
  
Angel was enraptured, how did no one know what the three had been doing? Where did they learn to fight . . . but mostly, he had to know, how, "Then what happened?"  
  
Buffy took a couple of deep breaths, wiping away her tears, "Before it died, it picked her up, like she was just some little insignificant thing, and tossed her over the cliff . . . she never even screamed . . . ."  
  
Angel was in shock, she was gone. Cordelia was dead. She died so young, with so much pain and sorrow in her heart.   
  
A beeping interrupted his thoughts.   
  
BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP!  
  
"It's me." Buffy pulled out her pager, "611, emergency meeting in the library, you coming?"  
  
Angel shook his head, "No, I need to take a walk."  
  
Buffy hopped down off the tomb, "Angel, if you ever need a friend, you know where my window is."  
  
Angel nodded his head, and then disappeared into the shadows.   
  
Buffy knew he'd never take her up on the offer, because he was cryptic-brood-boy, having someone to talk to would mean letting someone get too close. She took one last look in the direction he went in pain, seeing for the first time how much the souled-vampire loved Cordelia. She'd been so stupid. Buffy was only 17, and she'd already made the dumbest mistake in her life. She'd been an idiot, and left him, because he was a vampire, and she was the slayer. It was obvious to her now; Angel loved Cordelia Chase, with all his heart. She stared for a few more seconds, then walked the opposite way, her heart heavy in grief, to the high school.   
  
  
Angel's soul grieved in despair. The girl who he loved, and loved him was gone forever, what did he need a permanent soul for if he would never be completely happy.   
He couldn't be when Cordelia died, never knowing he loved her too. She'd unselfishly anchored his soul, never telling him that it was she who had done it. Angel realized something that most of the Scooby Gang didn't; the real heroes of the group were the Slayerettes, not the Slayer herself, or himself. They put their necks on the line everyday, voluntarily, not because they were given special powers to do so, like Buffy had been, and now Cordelia had died for the price of Good.   
  
He had his soul, but now he felt like part of it was missing, leaving him feeling empty. What once contained hope, and worshiped the ground Cordelia had walked on, now was filled with pain. He'd never told her he cared, she'd never known he felt the same way, or that he knew how she felt . . . why hadn't he told her?  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Cordelia was at the beginning of the cemetery when it hit her. Everyone thought she was dead! Buffy would probably be blaming herself, Giles would feel all guilty, and Xander and Willow would have called MacLeod or Adam by now.   
  
This was going to be a long night.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
The three immortals walked into the library, finding two people, Buffy and Giles, beside themselves with grief.   
  
"Duncan, Adam, and Richie are here." Willow announced.   
  
Buffy looked up with puffy red eyes, "I'm so sorry you guys. She's dead, because of me."  
  
"No she's not, on both facts. Cordelia's not dead, and even if she was, it wouldn't be your fault." Adam informed them.   
  
Giles took off his glasses in attempt to clean them, "Mr. Pierson, I am truly sorry, but the fall she took . . . the fall was so great, that no human have possibly survived it."  
  
"We understand that Mr. Giles, but Cordelia isn't like the rest of you, just like Duncan, Richie, and I are unlike you as well. You see, even if she did 'die', it's not like it would be her first time."  
  
"Or her last." Duncan added, "Please, everyone sit down, it's a long story about what we are."  
  
"Trust me," Richie laid his hand on Giles's shoulders, "you're going to want to be sitting down."  
  
Duncan took a deep breath, "Ok, now, first off, much like your vampire friend, we all are much older then we look, well, at least Adam and I are for now. The fact is, Adam, Richie, Cordelia, and myself are part of a race of immortals, secret to mortals such as yourself, and immortals such as your werewolf friend."  
  
"Mr. MacLeod, this is ridiculous . . ." Giles started, standing.   
  
"Sit down please Giles." Willow requested forcefully.   
  
Giles was surprised, but did as he was asked.   
  
"Allow me to formally introduce myself . . ." Duncan bowed, "I am Duncan MacLeod, of the clan MacLeod, also known as The Highlander. I was born on the highlands of Scotland over 400 years ago. I am not alone in my existence. There are others like me, some good, some evil. For centuries I've battled the forces of darkness, sometimes with fellow immortals by my side, sometimes against them. We cannot 'die' die unless you behead us, taking our life. If another immortal does it, he or she also takes our power."  
  
"That would be a quickening." Willow put in.  
  
"It's all part of "The Game", in the end, there can be only one. Some of us aren't interested in it, so we only fight if the person is evil, or they've challenged us, and refuse to back down. We can't fight other immortals on holy ground, something really bad happens otherwise. But, that is beside the point. The point is, Cordelia is alive, and she should have 'woken' up by now. Which means, she'll be making her way back here, hopefully."  
  
"I secured the climbing rope, tied on the survival pack, and lowered it down to her, so she's got a way out. Then I called you as soon as I was done. Willow got Cordy's katana." Xander assured him.   
  
"Good, you did the right thing." Duncan verified.  
  
"Cordelia's been drilling what Willow and I needed to do if anything happened to her since we found out in October." Xander admitted.  
  
"You knew?" Buffy's eyes widen in betrayal.   
  
Willow ashamedly spoke up, "We both did, since October when we saw Cordelia behead Jonathan Damians."  
  
"That's when they blackmailed us into training them!" Richie exclaimed, resulting in a punch from Adam.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Angel took an unneeded deep breath, why had he been so stupid? He'd hesitated, now she was gone . . .  
  
He stopped in his tracks; there was someone else on the path. Though the person was far away, he could tell they were female. As unknown person grew closer, Angel felt a tug at his heart . . .  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IOoh, ooh   
When the visions around you   
Bring tears to your eyes   
And all that surrounds you   
Are secrets and lies   
  
I'll be your strength   
I'll give you hope   
Keeping your faith when it's gone   
The one you should call   
When standing here all alone /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Cordelia felt something in her heart making it skip a beat. A dark figure was on the path ahead of her, Angel.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IAnd I will take you in my arms   
And hold you right where you belong   
Until the day my life is through   
This I promise you   
This I promise you   
  
I've loved you forever   
In lifetimes before   
And I promise you never   
Will you hurt anymore /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel knew those legs, those curves, he'd studied them closely for hours when no one was looking, but it couldn't be. She was dead, Buffy had been crying. She walking it to the light, it was her, Cordelia.   
His pace quickened in it's efforts to reach Cordelia, who was slowly making her way towards him, in the moonlight, through the cemetery.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I I give you my word I give you my heart   
This is a battle we've won   
And with this vow   
Forever has now begun   
  
Just close your eyes each loving day   
And know this feeling won't go away   
Till the day my life is through   
This I promise you   
This I promise you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
He ran up to her and swung her around, hugging her tightly "I thought you were dead. You scared me. When Buffy told me . . . I thought you'd left me forever." Angel told her. Then he set her down and kissed Cordelia passionately.   
  
She pulled away gasping. "What are you doing?" Cordelia questioned, shocked at his actions.   
  
"I want you Delia." He revealed to her, caressing her cheek  
  
She looked at him searchingly, "But Buffy . . ."  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
IOver and over I thought   
When I hear you call   
Without you in my life baby   
I just wouldn't be living at all  
  
And I will take you in my arms   
And hold you right where you belong   
Until the day my life is through   
This I promise you   
This I promise you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel stared into her eyes, telling her honestly, "I don't want Buffy. I want you, only you. I want to watch you grow old, and take care of you."  
  
Cordelia caressed his face, "Angel, I love you too, but you won't ever see me grow old."  
  
Angel felt like his heart is breaking, "Why? If you love me, why won't you stay with me until you die."  
  
"I never said I wouldn't stay with you. God, after this, I could never leave you." Cordelia promised.   
  
"Then why? I don't understand." Angel gazed at her pleadingly.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
IJust close your eyes each loving day   
And know this feeling won't go away   
Till the day my life is through   
This I promise you   
This I promise you   
  
Every word I say is true   
This I promise you   
Ooh I promise you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
She watched him, her eyes sparkling, "Because, I won't die. Well, I can, but it would take someone chopping my head off . . ."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm an immortal Angel. I live forever. Before, I was dead. You were right. I just, got better." She told him smiling, for lack of a better word.  
  
Angel looked at her amazing, "God, how long have you known?"  
  
"Only since the first time it happened. When I was 16, I got shot actually. Someone mugged me when I was in Paris. I just woke up like this, it was the beginning summer break . . . a man named Duncan MacLeod found me some how."  
  
Angel gave her a puzzled look, "Duncan MacLeod? Oh god, that's it! That's where I know that name from . . . hmm, that's weird. I knew I Duncan MacLeod, when I was still Liam . . . and until I . . . He was a friend of my father's. He taught me how to fight with a sword actually."  
  
"Probably the same guy. Was he Scottish, with black hair? Real ladies man?" Cordelia asked.   
  
"Sounds like him . . . he's an immortal too?"  
  
"Over 400 years old. He trained me and taught me how to survive other immortals . . ."  
  
"Survive them?"  
  
"It's a really long story, and we have forever." Cordelia told him, looking into his eyes lovingly.   
  
Angel drank in the sight of her, "I thought I'd never have a chance when Buffy told me . . ."  
  
"Buffy! Oh no! Where is she?"  
  
"At the library, someone called an emergency meeting." Angel stared at her confused, "Why?"  
  
"We have to get there. Xander or Willow must have called Mac, Adam, or Richie. I'll explain it all on the way." Cordelia pulled Angel in a jog behind her, until they reach her car. They jump in then race off, Cordelia explaining as they went about Xander, Willow, and the past few hours, and what most likely was happening.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	11. Explanations

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own any of the characters, no matter how much I WISH I did. They belong to the idiot Joss and the WB.. Any other characters, I created.  
  
  
  
I~ Thank you, everyone for posting or sending a reply! They all mean sooooo much to me!  
I hope y'all know that. I truly appreciate every single one of them.  
  
Sorry for taking so long, everything has been very messed up around here. I've been sleeping away most of the day because I've been sick, and school's got me busy. And on top of all that, I've been messing around with my new car. Yep, my parental units got me a car! All I need now, is a license . . . I know what you're thinking, why the hell do I have a car if I don't have a license, well, it's a really long story, that I don't want to get into! PLUS, I had PSAT's, so I've been studying and crap.   
  
  
This chapter is rated . . . NC-17, total smutfest! ~/I  
  
  
  
This I Promise You  
By Jules  
  
  
Chapter 11  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
b** The library ** /b  
  
  
"And there's no fighting on holy ground between immortals." Duncan concluded. It had taken awhile, but he'd finally explained the basis of the Immortal existence.   
  
Willow returned with the book she'd been looking for. She opened it to the legend about immortals, then gave it to Giles.   
  
Giles browsed the passages that lay before him, absorbing all the information that had been basically forced into his brain in the last hour. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.   
  
"I'm not sure what to believe here. There are just so many things I don't understand. Why, if this is true, did Cordelia not tell us?"  
  
"Because, we knew that you'd put it in your reports to the Watcher's council, and then Cordelia would have lots of people coming after her, because she's a newbie, and they're typically easy to kill. Luckily, Cordy's not, we've all given her extensive training. Besides that, we wanted to give Cordelia a chance to have at least part of her life with some privacy before our Watcher's council found out about her existence and she started getting followed by a watcher who will chronicle every detail of her life, but stay out of sight." Adam explained.   
  
"Explain to me about your watchers." Giles requested.   
  
Duncan explained, "Our Watcher's Council is the origin's of yours, even though you don't recognize our existence anymore. Anyway, watchers are regular men who are dedicated to follow immortals around, chronicling every single little detail of our lives. You can recognize them be a tattoo they all have on their wrist. They can only watch, and they aren't allowed to interfere, EVER. My watcher, Joe, is an exception, I'm going to request that he be put on her case as well, since I'm Cordelia's guardian . . ."  
  
The library doors bursting open interrupted him. Cordelia and Angel came running in.   
  
Richie looked her up and down, "Where on earth have you been? You should have been here 15 minutes ago young lady."  
  
"Shove it Richie." She panted, trying to catch her breath, "I got here as soon as I could. Xander, thanks for the pack, and by the way, I KNOW what you were messing around with in there, and I am SO going to hurt you badly later." Cordelia warns, she'd found her clean panties stuffed at the bottom of the pack, when she'd had them neatly folded.   
  
Finally she stood up, and realized everyone was staring at her, Buffy and Giles with looks of dejection in their eyes.   
  
She sighed, "Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't suspect SOMETHING was up. I mean, I've totally changed. I'm helpful, I work out, I knew how to kill things, I could use a sword, I went on patrols, wore black all the time. If you didn't notice anything, then I gotta say that you are sorry excuses for friends."   
  
Giles and Buffy features changed to looks of shame, they hadn't noticed. Well they had noticed a little something was different, but they hadn't paid much attention to it.   
  
Cordelia sighed, "Let's go back to my house, I'll explain what happened to me this summer, we can snack, and I can show off our training center and slaying central."  
  
  
Everyone agreed it was a good idea, and they soon arrived at the mansion.   
  
Cordelia and Angel lagged behind, holding hands, which no one had noticed yet. He gave her a hug of encouragement, then she went to the front of the group and led them to the ballroom first.   
  
She threw open the doors and showed them where she, Willow, and Xander had been working out since October.   
  
"This is where we have our lessons, practice dummies, gymnastic equipment, tumbling mats, boxing ring . . . as you can see." She told them.   
  
Then led them to the large set of double doors.  
  
"This is the entrance to the library, Duncan and Adam pretty much designed everything."  
  
  
The 'tour' group walked into the library and audible gasps and murmuring was heard.   
  
"Oh my . . ." Giles commented, walking to the center of the room and turning around, "This is so . . . amazing. These books are all hundreds of years old . . . and very rare. This is a most extensive collection . . ."  
  
Richie went over to the computer and turned it on, "This is where we keep track of demons and vampires we've killed and where. We've got the codex in here, with a warning system for if a prophecy is coming up, so we have time to avert disaster. And best off all, the simulation program. Basically, you impute in possible situations, and you try to solve them, it will give you different scenarios and outcomes.   
  
"It's great . . . and lots of fun!" Xander exclaimed.   
  
Cordelia rolled her eyes, then led them all to the second level. She pushed a button, and all the weapons flipped out on display.  
  
"And this is our armory . . . well, the knives, enchanted swords, extra katanas, staffs and such, our more high tech weapons are here." She pressed another button and a few more shelves turned over and showed off many guns, grenades, bazookas, and lots of other weaponry like that, "But these are mostly Xander's play things, since he's the only one who know how to use them all."  
  
Everyone turned to look at Xander.   
  
"What?! I used to have a lot of time on my hands! They were fun! So I know how to use every single automatic, semi-automatic, machine, and other gun known to man. So what if I can use every explosive every created, and who cares that I know how to fire, load, disassemble and reassemble any weapon you place in front of me . . ."  
  
Almost everyone took a step away from him.   
  
Adam put his hand on Xander's shoulder, "Well, you succeeded in making them all terrified of you."  
  
"Wonderful job Xander!" Cordelia chirped. She shook her head, then went over to the anthems, "At the time, I wasn't sure why I bought so many anthems . . . or why I picked the ones I did. But now I know. We all have one, for some reason they fit us . . ." She handed them one at a time to their predestined owners.   
  
To Buffy she handed a gold one with diamonds on the hilt. Buffy took it in shock, but replaced the knife she had in her boot sheath with it.   
Cordelia handed the rest boot sheaths. Then passed out the rest of the anthems.   
  
Giles was given the plain bronze one.   
Then Oz a gold anthem which had an odd design and emeralds, which looked similar to Willows.   
Finally, she handed the only other silver anthem to Angel, the handle had Celtic engravings with peridot gems, and it also had sapphires.  
  
"These are anthems, they are one of the only ways to kill a wizard, otherwise you can just use them for a knife. Don't lose them, these cost me a fair chunk of change. Not that there's not millions more where it came from, but it has to last me my whole immortal life, so I think you get it." She informed them, letting her hand linger on Angel's, not wanting to let go quite yet because the feel of his skin against hers gave her nice tingles.   
  
Duncan and Giles were the only ones to notice the prolonged exposure, but merely raised an eyebrow.   
  
  
Duncan studied at the man whom his pupil was so enamored with closely, and realized there was something familiar with him, then it finally hit him, "Liam!" He suddenly spoke out loud.   
  
Everyone turned to stare at him, except Angel, who looked at his feet in shame. Angel was totally shocked when Duncan hugged him fiercely.   
  
"I never expect to see you again, after you died, your whole family was slaughtered."  
  
"I know." Angel told him quietly, taking a step away from him, "I was the one who killed them all."  
  
  
Giles could tell the subject matter was something private, so he hurried everyone into the other room, except for Cordelia who refused to leave.   
  
  
"What?" Duncan managed to ask after a very long period of silence.   
  
"I'm the one who killed them. My little sister invited me in . . . and then I killed them all." Angel informed him darkly.   
  
"But, why?"  
  
Angel sighed, "I was angry . . . and when you lose your soul, you don't feel guilt, remorse, only anger, lust, pride, the need for revenge. My father had never respected me, all he'd ever done was tell me what a disappointment I was, and what a horrible son I was. The new me, the demon inside of me, Angelus, took his revenge upon everyone in the house that night."   
  
Cordelia took Angel's hand and laid her head on his chest, wanting to comfort him, but not knowing how.   
  
Duncan took several deep breaths, "How long have you had your soul?"  
  
"This time? Or before I lost it last year?" Angel questioned wryly.   
  
"Before."  
  
"90 years . . . I have spent over 90 years regretting what I did to them . . . to me Mother and me little Kathy." Angel slipped into his former brogue for a moment.   
  
Duncan gazed over the library from the banister, holding it so tight his knuckles have turned white, "I understand you regret it . . . and I know why it's just hard to accept that the boy I knew could kill his family the way you did." He said harshly.  
  
Cordelia stepped in, "Now wait a God damn minute, IAngel/I did not kill them. It was IAngelus/I they are two totally different people. And my Angel has paid for what he did, ten fold. You can't blame him, sure he's done a lot of horrible things in his past, murdered millions of people, tortured thousands, turned hundreds . . ."  
  
"I think he gets it Delia." Angel interrupted.   
  
"Right, sorry. The point is, the poor guy has enough that he broads over, he doesn't need more guilt from the fact he knows you blame him too."  
  
"I know that Cordelia." Duncan told her, then glanced at Angel, "And I don't blame him. What happened was over 200 years ago, and he's a different person again. I'd be honored, to be his friend once more."   
  
Duncan offered his hand to Angel, who shook it. Cordelia grinned, then hugged her mentor, then Angel again, who held on to her tightly. Duncan could tell it had turned into a private moment between the two, so he snuck out, leaving the two alone.   
  
  
Duncan found the whole group in the ballroom, looking over the facilities.   
  
"You all can use these are your training center and slaying central from now on if you wish. But we do close up everything at 11pm unless you live here." Duncan passed on to them, "Only exceptions are made in emergency situations, and for immortals so if you don't mind, it's time we're all getting to bed."  
  
Giles raised his eyebrow at him, "We accept the offer, but I must ask, why on earth are you here? With Cordelia? Why are all of you here."  
  
"I am her guardian, and her trainer. She had her father name me as her guardian before he died, so I live here with her. I watch out for her, train her, and teach her everything she needs to know, make sure she does her tie-chi in the mornings. I teach her French, the history of immortals, who to watch out for, what names to keep an eye out for. The rest of the time, I let her live her own life, because her soul is an old one, and Cordelia knows how to take care of herself. Adam is her best friend, and Richie's the older brother she never had."  
  
Adam took it up, "We all care about her, and watch out for her. She is very important to us, and if any of you ever do anything to hurt her, we will track you down and kill you, just as we would to anyone else who does. My Cora is a very sensitive person, who's dealt with a lot in the past year. She has died, found out she was an immortal, lost her parents, killed for the first time, been killed again. Richie and I came to Sunnydale with her to protect her, and no one will hurt her. Not on our watch. If she hadn't killed Eric, we all would have taken a turn torturing him, then eventually kill him."  
  
Richie tried to save face, "We understand that you are her friends, but her identity, that has to be kept a complete secret. Many people would love to come after the newbie who killed Jonathan Damians, and challenge her them-selves. Once she's been challenged, we can't interfere. The only thing we can do, is keep her a secret. And if someone finds out about her, the Watchers council will, and then she'll get a watcher, and they'll chronicle her life. Which means everything will get out, and people will start coming after her. Your Watcher Council can't ever know about her, because there are our watchers all over, and it would be very dangerous for her. All of us just want her to have as normal a life as possible for as long as she can. Please, just help us keep it that way."  
  
Everyone nodded his or her heads in agreement.   
  
"I can understand that." Buffy agrees quietly, deciding not to tell everyone about how Angel felt about Cordelia. She understood now that the two were destined for each other, and knew that they needed sometime to be just the two of them.   
  
"It's late, we should go." Oz revealed to everyone.   
  
Giles nodded his head, "Quite. We will see you all soon."   
  
Then he ushered his young charges, a.k.a. Buffy, Oz, Xander, and Willow, out the doors.  
  
Richie yawned, "You know, I'm getting tired too."  
  
"Yeah, it's about time we got home too." Adam agreed, "See you when I see you MacLeod."  
  
Then he and Richie were gone as well.   
  
  
Duncan sighed, being all-alone once more. He took one last look at the room behind him, shook his head, then when to his bedroom (which was in an entire different wing of the house then Cordelia's).  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** The Library ** /b  
  
Angel and Cordelia stared deeply into each other's eyes, they'd been standing like that, and reading each other's souls since Duncan had left.   
  
Angel's soul felt complete again, the hole that had been created had disappeared. And the ache in his heart was gone.   
  
  
The two new found, soon to be lovers, had been standing there for a very long time, when Cordelia finally seized Angel's hand and silently led him down the spiral stairs, through the house, then up to her bedroom.   
  
Cordelia made Angel sit on the bed.   
  
"Wait here." She whispered.   
  
Cordelia closed all the curtains, and lit the many candles she had placed all over the room. She slowly walked back to him. Cordelia pulled out her dew-rag, which caused her hair to fall in long, damp, dark waves around her shoulders, which was slowly curling into loose ringlets. She stepped out of her shoes, turned on the stereo, and then went back to Angel.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IThe suckers loose themselves in the games  
They learn to play  
Children love to sing but then their voices  
Slowly fade away  
  
People always take a step away  
From what is true  
That why I like you around  
I want you  
  
Yeah you do you do you do you do   
You do you do you do  
You're making me want you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel watched the other part of his soul move slowly around the room. He'd never wanted someone so badly in his life. Finally she returned to him.   
  
Cordelia ran her hands on Angel chest, up to his shoulders, and pushed off his duster. Then she leaned down, and kissed him gently. Angel responded very eagerly, he placed one arm around her waist, one around her back, and pulled he down to the bed, underneath him. Cordelia was shocked for a second.   
  
"You're trying to torture me." Angel whispered accusingly.   
  
"No, I'm trying to seduce you." Cordelia divulged, smirking.  
  
Angel raked his eyes down the body beneath him, then traveled back to her eyes, "It's not necessary. I've wanted you so bad, for so long Cordelia. It was killing me that I couldn't tell you."  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IYeah you do you do you do you do   
You do you do you do  
You're making me want you   
Oh you do you do you do you do   
You do you do you do  
Send me all your vampires  
You make me want you  
  
And I can't get enough  
Oh you do you do you do you do   
You do you do you do   
And I can't get enough  
And I can't get enough /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Cordelia caressed his face with her fingertips, her touch sending tingles through out his body, she seemed to be trying to capture something. A few tears run down her cheeks.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Angel asked, then kissed each of the tears, making them disappear.   
  
"I'm so afraid, that this is a dream, and you'll disappear, when Duncan wakes me up."  
  
Angel kissed her firmly, "I'm real, and from now on, I'm not going anywhere." He kneeled over her body, then pulled her shirt up over her head, gasping at the sight of her body, which was bra-less. (The one thing they forgot to pack, damn), "God you're beautiful."  
  
Cordelia reached up, rubbing her hands on his shirt-clad body, soon unbuttoning his shirt. Finally her hot hands were able to touch his cool skin, pushing the shirt off his body and throwing it to the side.   
  
Angel groaned the feel of her heated flesh against him. The borrowed blood rushed through his veins. Her warm fingers move down his chest to his pants, which she also unbuttons. Angel pulled them off, then disposed of her pants. He slowly pulled them down over her hips, exposing the sides of the black thong she wore, then revealed her toned, tan thighs. Finally he pulled them all the way down her long legs.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IThe village churchyard is filled with  
Bones weeping in the grave  
The silver lining of clouds shines  
On people Jesus couldn't save  
You want to know how deeply my soul goes  
Deeper than bones (Deeper than bones)  
  
And I can't get enough (Oh I can't get enough)  
And I can't get enough (Oh I can't get enough) /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel looked his soon-to-be lover up and down again, growling animalistically.   
  
Cordelia blushed at his close investigation of her body, but almost immediately became too absorbed with Angel's cool lips all over her to body to care. He kissed his way down her body. Angel had let his face partially transform, so he let his fangs graze her skin here and there, which was sending erotic shivers down Cordelia's spine.   
  
  
She was a little scared, she'd only had sex once, during her freshman year, with the star quarterback of the football team, and he had a very tiny dick (so she'd heard after comparing it with her friends' conquests). And from the prominent bulge in Angel's boxers, he was obviously a very well endowed Irishman. But when Angel's kisses and nips near her belly button ring (which she'd gotten in Paris after the change, along with a tattoo) all thoughts but making wild, passionate love to him were wiped from her brain.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
IAfter we did it by the windowsill   
Smoke rings drift off into the midnight sky  
Presently in the quilt your mother made  
And a candle burns to fight off the gloom /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel shed his boxers, he had to have her now, and he just couldn't take it anymore. Angel literally tore Cordelia's thong off her as she began kissing his neck, and shoulders.   
  
Slowly he positioned himself, and his pulsing member pushed its way into her hot, tight depths. When he saw the flash of pain in his lover's eyes he slowed down, "Are you ok?"  
  
Cordelia nodded, "Yeah, I've only done this once though . . . please, go on. I need you."  
  
Angel kissed her lips lovingly, and slowly made his way deeper into her satin walls.   
  
Cordelia was gasping, after the initial pain had gone away, all she was feeling were waves of pleasure through her whole body. She never knew making love would feel so good. Once he was completely sheathed, she wrapped her legs around his back as he began thrusting. She whimpered and moaned as the sensations rippled through her.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
IYou said to live in this way is not for the meek  
(Send me all your vampires)  
But you talk real soft and kiss me on the cheek  
(Send me all your vampires)  
And like a jazz DJ you talk me into sleep  
(Send me all your vampires)  
There will be no regrets when the worms come  
(Send me all your vampires)  
And they shall surly come /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel couldn't believe how amazing it was, her scorching body against his, the love that was transmitted through their kisses, he loved the feeling of her nails on his back.   
  
Soon Cordelia started to gasp, she could feel the pleasure increasing, and the feeling between her legs was getting stronger. She felt herself seemingly leave her body, getting higher and higher. One more deep stroke from Angel and she was over the edge. Gasping his name, "Oh God, Angel!" she climaxed.   
  
Angel needed his release, he looked into her eyes for permission, and she gave it willingly. Angel's face completely transformed, and he sank his fangs into her neck. Cordelia felt her climax draw out, the feeling of him sucking on her neck was the most erotic feeling in the world.   
  
Angel shot his cool seed deep into his lovers trembling body.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IOh you do you do you do you do   
You do you do you do  
Make me want you  
(Send me all your vampires)  
  
Oh you do you do you do you do   
You do you do you do  
I want you (Send me all your vampires)  
I want you (Send me all your vampires)  
Send me all your vampires /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Angel gathered his soulmate in his arms, pulling her to him after he rolled off of her, "Are you ok?"  
  
"Mmmmmm, yeah. I love you Angel." Cordelia told him sleepily.   
  
"I love you too Delia." Angel whispered.   
  
  
Then both fell asleep in each other's arms, feeling totally complete and peaceful for the first time.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ THE END ~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
I give credit where credit is due. The song is II Want You/I by Third Eye Blind, off their self titled CD. I LOVE that song, and the fact that they mention Vampires in the song was just too perfect to pass up.   
  
Please, I want replies, I know it sounds pathetic, but I live for feedback, good or bad! I need to know what you think so I know where to go with this.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


End file.
